Cowichan Housing Association
106-225 Canada Avenue V9L 1T6 Duncan, BC, Canada

https://www.cowichanvalleycitizen.com//cabins-to-go-in-at/

Quw'utsun Mustimuhw, Because of COVID-19 and the potential for it to spread quickly within our community, the Councillors and I have passed a 16-day Shelter in ...Place Order starting today January 6, 2021 (ending January 22). This order means you must remain at home unless you have an essential reason for going out such as getting food or medicine, attend work or school off-reserve, and limit shopping to 1 person if possible. Check points will be set-up to share information and enforce the order to keep our community safe. Please review the memo in this post or on website here: https://cowichantribes.com/download_file/2512/0 for more information. A link to the full order is also available below. Our teachings - our Snuw'uy'ulh - teach us to help one another and work together for the good of all. Right now, we must stay home, say "no" to gatherings or in-person contacts outside our households, and call 8-1-1 right away and get tested if showing any symptoms. We are also working hard to access doses of the vaccine for the community including our Sul'wheen and most vulnerable ones. We will continue to provide regular updates to the community. If you have questions or need support with self-isolation, transportation, getting to a testing site or anything else, please contact COVID-19 Community Navigators at 250-715-3339 or visit our website for more information www.cowichantribes.com/coronavirus-updates -Chief William Seymour #CowichanCovidSafe. Shelter in Place Order: https://cowichantribes.com/download_file/2511/0

CMHA COWICHAN VALLEY BRANCH UPDATE There is no guest currently residing at Warmland Shelter who has tested positive for COVID 19. Our vulnerable homeless popu...lation is being closely monitored by Island Health and other community service providers. Anyone suspected of being at risk is being tested and monitored by local health authorities Warmland House Shelter has been strict in practicing COVID safety protocols since the beginning of the pandemic ten months ago. Any recipients of service who are suspected to be symptomatic are being served and monitored by Island Health. CMHA remains diligent in ensuring the safety and wellness of our staff, clients and the community. Lise Haddock, Executive Director CMHA Cowichan Valley Branch

Happy New Year to everyone! Cheers to finally making it to the end of the year we can't wait to forget about. We look forward to seeing you all in 2021.

We didn't think we'd see this today but we welcome more blue sky and sun outside our downtown office building. How is your #CowichanNeighbourhood looking today? Send us photos of your neighbourhood to [email protected]

Have a safe and cozy winter break everyone. Thank you to all of the amazing people working towards making the Cowichan Valley a better place to live. We look forward to seeing you in 2021! Photo: our unofficial mascot helping Morgan wrap Christmas gift bags for our wonderful staff at the hotel and tent sites. Our mascot still needs a name. Add you suggestions below!

PODCAST: Affordable housing is within reach for British Columbians with a manageable amount of government investment, says Jill Atkey, CEO of BC Non Profit Housing Association. (length 26:57)

We are pleased to see that the 4-storey, 21-unit affordable apartment project is moving forward in Chemainus. A potential construction start date of Spring 2021 is exciting news. This will be a great addition to Willow Street next to the new library. The Community Land Trust is also working to bring a much larger housing development to the curling club lands on Sherman Rd. We eagerly await an update on that project. https://www.chemainusvalleycourier.ca//affordable-housing/

Cowichan Tribes has opened an emergency youth homeless shelter for youth ages 17 and under. It’s open from 3 pm to 9 am daily in the former VIU building on Cowi...chan Way. Youth will be housed in individual rooms, provided food and connected with community services. While priority is given to Cowichan members, if space is available non-members will be housed. Please share this message so we can get the word out! https://cowichantribes.com//News_release_youth_homeless_sh

The freeze on rent has been extended in BC until July 10, 2021. This ban on rental increases has been in place since March as part of the Covid-19 related response. Renters who receive a notice of rent increase are being asked to ignore those notices and continue to pay their current rent amount. https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020MAH0113-001923

Here's a good summary of some of our activities to date and a teaser on what to expect in 2021!

A new model of affordable housing is coming to Chemainus: mobile home rentals. Instead of the pad lease/purchase-and-place model we typically see at mobile home parks, the proposal here looks to have all 115 independent modular homes as affordable rentals. Read more here: https://www.cowichanvalleycitizen.com//development-busine/#

We are so excited to see 96 purpose-built rental units coming to Ladysmith! https://www.chemainusvalleycourier.ca//ladysmith-town-cou/

#CowichanHistory Today we're taking a look back to Qwum'yiqun Village (Comiaken) near the base of Mt. Tzouhalem between 1866-1870. photo: BC Archive Thank you to Jared Qwustenuxun Williams for providing us with the background research. For more on the story behind the naming of 'Mt. Tzouhalem', read Jared's article here: https://thediscourse.ca/cowichan-va/who-was-chief-tzouhalem

Please help Warmland Shelter by donating the following items: Coffee Shop Cards * Grocery Gift Cards * Socks * Candy * Chocolate * Toothbrushes Toothpaste * Handwarmers * Footwarmers * Gloves * Scarves * Toques * Lighters * Batteries * Chapsticks * Granola Bars * Mandarin Oranges * and more

Submit your innovative solutions to the Housing Supply Challenge: "The Challenge is looking to award innovative proposals that address barriers to housing supply such as building timelines; enhancing productivity in construction; or improving data on land availability, amongst many others"

We are excited to see 8 units of private sector affordable homes built by former North Cowichan mayor Jon Lefebure. But we are equally dismayed at his admission that North Cowichan didn't build any affordable houses during his 13 years in office from 2002 to 2018. Many people in our community are struggling to find accommodation that meets their needs and budget. It's time we urge North Cowichan and all our local governments to find more land to contribute towards building homes that are safe and affordable. https://www.chemainusvalleycourier.ca//former-north-cowic/

We're pleased to hear that our builders are continue to build at a consistent rate in the Town of Ladysmith. https://www.ladysmithchronicle.com//development-remains-c/

Please donate socks for those in need at the Clements Centre. Donations will be accepted for another 10 days.

Andrew's new favourite spot is Ironworks Cafe and Creperie on Station St. in Duncan. They are open 8am to 5pm every day (yes...including Sundays!) Congratulations on expanding to Nanaimo. The quality in products and service provided by our local businesses is exceedingly high. Please support local, especially this holiday season. https://www.ironworkscafe.ca... What's in your #CowichanNeighbourhood Please submit your photos to [email protected]

We've seen political will act swiftly to find housing for people during Covid. Now let's work towards ensuring this swift action spills over to our post-Covid world. This report from the Community Planning program at UBC looks at the Covid policy responses in 14 countries. https://news.ubc.ca//better-housing-policies-needed-in-a-/

Please spend some time browsing through this Virtual Art Exhibition as part of the BC Affordable Housing Conference. Displayed here are works by artists who have lived experience with marginalization, artist-led community projects, and art created in programs run by non-profit housing associations and social services agencies. https://bit.ly/2JbPZ2T

BC Housing are reducing shleter beds at Warmland Shelter due to Covid protocols to 12 (from 15) beds and 8 (from 15) extreme- weather beds. https://www.cowichanvalleycitizen.com//warmland-house-in-/

#BuildingCowichan The moving trucks are driving in to these recently completed townhouses on Somenos Rd near the new Berkey's Corner neighbourhood commercial centre. This project transformed a single-family home on 0.32 acres into a 9-unit complex. We encourage more smaller-lot developments near our commercial centres. What do you think of this type of housing? Would you consider building even more units/hectare (du/ha) close to our commercial zones? Our unnamed unofficial mascot loves field trips. Let us know what is building near you. We are always looking at ways to get out of the office! Oh...and what do we call this lovable snail? Please email us your suggestions at [email protected]

The leaves are changing colour and Hallowe'en is almost here. We are so lucky to have this right outside our downtown office. What's in your #CowichanNeighbourhood? Help us celebrate the things that make our neighbourhoods unique. Email us your neighbourhood photo at [email protected] [We encourage photos of all things old and new. Remember, this isn't a home and garden magazine so please send pictures of those creaky and messy things we adore, too.]

Unbox This tiny Home In Your Backyard Follow Tools and Equipment for more videos like this. Source: Boxabl.com

Today's hot take. We always appreciate a good laugh!

#CowichanHistory We're taking a look back just over 100 years ago to 1917. These homes are being towed across Cowichan Lake. Photo: BC Archives

BC's Affordable Housing Conference has moved onine this year on December 2 - 4th. Register here: https://conference.housingcentral.ca/sites/Conference/ The #housingcrisis is an issue that impacts us. #HousingCentral will bring the knowledge to help us build a network of units that Canadians can truly call home. Register for the conference today conference.housingcentral.ca Member's early bird registration ends on October 19.

These reports highlight the need for all levels of government to work harder at the affordability crisis happening in our communities.

LAST DAY: Today is the final day to take the Housing Needs Survey/Questionnaire. Please sign up below. It is important for us to hear about your housing concerns in the Cowichan Region. https://www.placespeak.com//6358-housing-needs-assessment/

As many of us in the world experienced, COVID-19 was crushing for our women's night shelter and clients. Due to poor building infrastructure and staffing challe...nges we had no choice but to close down the shelter at the end of March. The few remaining staff continued to come in twice a day to provide meals and what services and supplies we could through the door. We helped clients set up and take down their tents every day around the shelter until we were able to set up our sanctioned tenting site in the CVRD parking lot in cooperation with the Cowichan Housing Association’s task force. I remember so well the initial overwhelming defeat I felt at putting our most vulnerable women in tents in an exposed parking lot. It was the best we could do, but at the same time felt like we should be doing so much more for our women who are desperately needing safety and stability. Yet the change that happened was remarkable. The tents provided our women with autonomy and privacy for the first time. They were able to come and go from the tent site, or go in their tent and close their door when they needed privacy. As the site was 24/7, outreach services were able to come to the tent site to provide services. Clients found themselves with time and space to settle and start some recreational hobbies during the summer we had the most incredible green space within the tent site, completely transforming the bare concrete parking lot. This was a vast difference to typical night shelters where clients all congregate in one large common area and need to remain on guard throughout a stay to guard their belongings, guard their safety and self in an open room with 15 other individuals they may or may not know. So it has been truly incredible to see the transformation of our open physical space into individual private sleeping spaces, especially as we are now shifting from a night shelter to 24/7 services. A huge, warm, and heartfelt thank you to Peter Wilson from DIV1 Projects Ltd for his consultation, design, and build of our new shelter sleeping spaces for our women. Once again we are blown away by thoughtful engagement and generosity from community members to help lift our women towards dignity, and safety. We absolutely could not provide the services we do without the generosity from our community members. Please consider donating now (www.cwav.org) to support the renovation of the women’s night shelter. Thank you so much from the whole team at the shelter and CWAV. We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.

Please help us understand the housing needs of all our Cowichan communities. There are a few more days to fill out this online questionnaire: https://www.placespeak.com/.../6358-housing-needs-assessment

We had a visitor today who seemed to really like Morgan's plant! Maybe they'll stay a while. Considering housing development happens at a #SnailsPace and this creature carries a house on its back, maybe it will stick around and be our unofficial mascot. What do you say? Should we give it a new home?!

We really love seeing these medium-density residential buildings popping up in the Jubillee St. neighbourhood. This is the type of housing that is referred to as the 'missing middle' that bigger cities are lamenting not having built enough of. More of this please! What's in your #CowichanNeighbourhood? Help us celebrate the things that make our neighbourhoods unique. Email us your neighbourhood photo at [email protected] [We encourage photos of all things old and new. Remember, this isn't a home and garden magazine so please send pictures of those creaky and messy things we adore, too.]

**...for each new affordable housing unit being built, three existing affordable apartments are lost...** "She (Selina Robinson, Minister for Municipal Affairs and Housing) is also interested in an idea proposed by the BC Non-Profit Housing Association, which has suggested governments provide financing to the non-profit housing sector to buy older rental apartment buildings in order to keep rents affordable. Jill Atkey, CEO of the association, warned that for each new afforda...ble housing unit being built, three existing affordable apartments are lost as investors continue to snap up rental buildings, frequently converting them to condos or building new, higher-priced rentals. Atkey suggested a funding commitment of $500 million from government would help to purchase between 5,000 and 11,000 housing units." https://thetyee.ca//Where-Parties-Stand-Homelessness-Hous/ See more

#CowichanHistory This is a fascinating look back to the Census of 1931 to see population statistics for British Columbia. How has Cowichan changed after 85 years? Let's look at the numbers: 1931 v. 2016 Duncan: 1,843 v. 4,944 Ladysmith: 1,443 v. 8,537... North Cowichan: 3,291 v. 29,676 See more

If you're interested in having our news go directly to your inbox, sign up for our email updates and future newsletters at the following link: http://eepurl.com/dljyiv

Call out for board members! Join our team of dedicated volunteers keeping the fires burning here at Cowichan Housing. Contact [email protected] to make a friendly introduction and to request an application form.

This old house is attached to the back of the Arbutus Cafe in Downtown Duncan. While it's not the most neat and tidy of places, these ramshackle homes with their multiple additions are vital to keeping our lower-income and/or younger community members housed. Older, less polished places are beneficial in keeping housing affordable and neighbourhoods unique as gentrification from redevelopment spreads throughout our downtowns. What's in your #CowichanNeighbourhood? Help us celebrate the things that make our neighbourhoods unique. Email us your neighbourhood photo at [email protected] [We encourage photos of all things old and new. Remember, this isn't a home and garden magazine so please send pictures of those creaky and messy things we adore, too.]

#CowichanHistory This is the first ambulance service in Duncan on Canada Ave. The house in the picture is located on Vista Ave in the Cairnsmore St. Neighbourhood. Duncan's First Ambulance service was sponsored by the Duncan Kiwanis Club. The Duncan Kiwanis Village Society has since built 72 units of affordable housing for seniors and people with disabilities. - No Date; photo Duncan Kiwanis Village Society

Save the date: A Closer Look at Rent Banks in BC. BCNPHA is hosting a webinar on October 21 with presenter Melissa Giles, Project Lead for Rent Bank BC. What is a Rent Bank? Rent banks are a homelessness prevention tool that provide short-term loans to households in financial crisis and are at risk of losing their housing. These small, one-time emergency loans are for the payment of rent or utilities to avoid eviction. Assistance towards damage deposits may also be consi...dered. Unlike traditional loans, funds are typically paid directly to the landlord or utility company. Tell us your thoughts below. What do you think about having a Rent Bank program in Cowichan?

We're pleased to see a federal committment to more housing resources to create homes for those across the country experiencing homelessness. We will look closely at the details of this funding and will work hard to acquire a portion of these dollars for initiatives in the Cowichan Region. "The federal government will allocate up to $1 billion towards a new Rapid Housing Initiative that will help fund the cost of creating temporary housing for the homeless across the country. The program will cover the construction cost of modular structures, and the acquisition of land and existing low-end hotel properties. Funding that supports the cost of over 3,000 new units will be mostly committed to projects by March 2021." https://dailyhive.com//canada-rapid-housing-homelessness-m

Even in the rain the Cowichan Green Community still looks great. This paint job is standing up to all the elements. We are so grateful for all the hard work the CGC do in our neighbourhood and for taking a big risk on the purchase of this building. They bought the Phoenix Station Pub in 2013 and converted the hotel rooms on the second floor into the Station Suites - 20 non-subsidized affordable rental units. What's in your #CowichanNeighbourhood? Help us celebrate the things that make our neighbourhoods unique. Email us your neighbourhood photo at [email protected]

The BC Temporary Rental Supplement has ended, but don't forget about the Rental Assistance Program (RAP) and the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) through BC Housing. For more information follow this link: https://www.bchousing.org/housing-assist/rental-assistance

#CowichanHistory We're taking a backwards glance to Duncan's Chinatown in 1890. These buildings were demolished in the 1960s after the City declared Chinatown an eyesore. Some of the lumber was recycled to build Whippletree Junction. The round building now stands where Chinatown once did. Do you have any historical photos of buildings and lodgings in the Cowichan Valley? Please email them to [email protected] photo credit: unknown

What are your housing needs? 2 weeks left to voice your concerns.

"It should be easier to have a tiny house in the Cowichan Valley.....We are missing the boat by not enabling the building of tiny houses." - Andrea Rondeau, Cowichan Valley Citizen What are your thoughts on tiny homes? Drop us a comment below. https://www.cowichanvalleycitizen.com//editorial-tiny-hou/

Not so long ago City officials were considering tearing this building down to put up a parking lot. We're so thankful for the community advocates that stepped in to save the Green Door heritage home on Ingram St in Duncan. They did a remarkable job renovating it into office spaces with a residential suite up in the old attic. What's in your #CowichanNeighbourhood? Help us celebrate the things that make our neighbourhoods unique. Email us your neighbourhood photo at [email protected] [We encourage photos of all things old and new. Remember, this isn't a home and garden magazine so please send pictures of those creaky and messy things we adore, too.] *this photo was taken 1 week ago before the smoke from Washington State forest fires filled our Valley.

Two grim stories dominated the news cycle in Canada this summer: the ongoing pandemic, and the economic impact caused by the pandemic. There has not been a crisis like this in our lifetimes. When faced with similar economic downturns in the past, the federal government has responded with economic stimulus packages designed to jolt the economy and accelerate growth. Previous stimulus packages have tended to invest in core infrastructure: projects such as roads, bridges and s...ewers that were shovel ready and could deliver an immediate economic boost. But in the aftermath of this pandemic, there would be significantly greater bang for the buck if the federal government were to focus stimulus investment on affordable housing. Why so? Affordable housing projects are shovel ready, and could provide an immediate economic boost, with the added advantage that housing projects are designed, developed, and built entirely domestically. Affordable housing is desperately needed; wait times for community housing in Canadian municipalities are several years long, and demand is rising. Most importantly, the pandemic has made clear that access to housing is a top public health imperative.

We're hiring a Policy Development Contractor and the deadline to apply is tomorrow (September 15). Follow this link for the full job description: http://cowichanhousing.com//CHA-Policy-Development-Contrac

#BuildingCowichan We thought we'd check in to see where Habitat for Humanity is on this 6-plex in the City of Duncan. The second floor walls are up! Donate or shop at the Habitat for Humanity Duncan ReStore to help bring more H4H projects to Cowichan.

What's that glistening in the sun? It's the Cowichan Valley Holistic Centre's exterior. This downtown house has crushed glass embedded in the siding material. What's in your #CowichanNeighbourhood? Help us celebrate the things that make our neighbourhoods unique. Email us your neighbourhood photo at [email protected] [We encourage photos of all things old and new. Remember, this isn't a home and garden magazine so please send pictures of those creaky and messy things we adore, too.]

North Cowichan residents: Don't forget to join the ThinkForward engagement to help plan the future of community, culture, and development for the district. The first 'Big Picture' survey is still available online at https://bit.ly/3m5NPRm https://youtu.be/nQlVg3_8fyc

#CowichanHistory We're taking a backwards glance to the 1890s the Chemainus boarding house operated by Victoria Lumber and Manufacturing Company. photo: BC Archive Do you have any historical photos of buildings and lodgings in the Cowichan Valley? Please email them to [email protected]

#SuperstarSaturday Thanks again to the Victoria Foundation, Jawl Foundation, and Times Colonist for the $220,000 grant towards the COVID-19 Vulnerable Population Cowichan Task Force Emergency Response Plan. This money provided temporary accommodation, outreach support, and security for 107 homeless people: 44 in hotel rooms, and 63 in secure tenting sites. BC Housing deserves a massive thank you for funding an extension of this plan until September 30.

While this story comes from Nanaimo, we have been hearing more of these stories here in Cowichan. Landlords are receiving up to 100 applications for a single unit. Finding housing of any kind is becoming extremely difficult for many working people, single mothers, young families, and youth.

This article gives an update on the work that's ongoing to provide secure accommodations for our community members experiencing homelessness during this pandemic.

We're hiring! We are searching for a Policy Development Contractor to join our team. Please share. Download the Job Posting here: https://bit.ly/2Qzi5WA

What's in your #CowichanNeighbourhood? Help us celebrate the things that make our neighbourhoods unique. Email your neighbourhood photo at [email protected] Here's a picture of the building overlooking City Square with a Southern European inspired false balcony, or balconet. We'd love to see more mixed-use commercial/residential in our commercial zones. [We encourage photos of all things old and new. Remember, this isn't a home and garden magazine so please send pictures of those creaky and messy things we adore, too.]

Take a Housing Survey. Comment on the Interactive Map. These are some of the tools you can use at the the online Portal for the CVRD Housing Needs engagement. Sign up to Placespeak to provide input into your housing needs, the needs of your neighbours, and housing issues you see for the people of our community. https://www.placespeak.com/topic/6358

#CowichanHistory We're taking a backwards glance to 1952 to when Duncan City Hall was the Post Office. photo: unknown Do you have any historical photos of buildings and lodgings in the Cowichan Valley? Please email them to [email protected]

Love from Denmark: Top notch concept for tiny homes. What's your thought?

#SuperstarSaturday Congrats to Rotarians Nick Woywitka and Michael Taylor, recipients of the Paul Harris pin for giving. And thank you to all Cowichan Rotary Clubs for teaming up to build Rotary Gardens at the new Cowichan Hospice House. We can't wait to see your work. Cowichan is so lucky to have Rotary Club Of Ladysmith, Rotary Club of Chemainus, Rotary Club of South Cowichan (Mill Bay), Rotary Club of Duncan Daybreak, Rotary Club of Duncan BC Canada

Portland has implemented a new zoning law with features that just might solve the city’s affordability crisis. Vancouver should follow its lead. 'Earlier this month Portland city council voted 3-1 in favour of its residential infill proposal after four years of debate. The new zoning bylaw brings a raft of changes, including limiting new single-family homes to 2,500 square feet (down from 6,500 square feet), encouraging multiple units on most lots and slashing requirements... for off-street parking. But the biggest boost to affordability will come from a provision allowing up to six dwelling units on all residentially zoned lots in the city including the more than 50 per cent of the city zoned single family. (That’s in quotes because Portland already allows a second dwelling or accessory units in areas with single-family zoning.) To be allowed to build the maximum six units, developers will have to ensure three of the units are made affordable to average wage earners. The measures offer a pathway to achieving true affordability in every Portland neighbourhood at no cost to the taxpayer. The city says they will provide opportunities for a wider variety of housing options and can reduce the cost of a single unit by roughly half the cost of a single new house.'