Team —
Susan Fitzgerald, Cladia Jahn, Adriane Salah, Eric Jonsson, Cassie Kent, Rita Wang, Stavros Kondeas, Lizzie Krnjevic
We Demand —
Surplus Properties for Housing
We challenge all levels of government to recognize housing as a public good and to re-dedicate surplus properties to the development of affordable housing and community assets that are not for sale — not now and not in the future.
According to the new affordable housing supply report from the CMHC, Nova Scotia will need to build 50,000 new units by 2030 to keep up with demand 1. Halifax Regional Municipality and the province of Nova Scotia have identified surplus properties for the development of housing 2. Advocacy groups are working together to identify surplus municipal, provincial, and federal owned properties which could be used for housing — an example being This Should be Housing. The combined work of local government and advocacy groups has garnered momentum around the topic of surplus properties being used to develop mass affordability. This creative solution offers the possibility for public, permanent, enriching, and varied housing options to be provided by the non-profit sector for lower-income individuals and families.
However, all housing is not equal. A mixed-income and mixed-use strategy is important to address the diverse needs of vulnerable groups while creating communities which achieve positive social, economic, and health outcomes.
AAHA! Atlantic’s advocate, architect, and activist are working together to mobilize community groups and all levels of government to create a solution that serves mass affordability.
