The group that has been handed the mandate to find affordable housing in Estevan for those who require lower cost accommodations is not about to give up.
"We're actively going about doing two things for sure," said Rev. Mike Sinclair who is chairman of a pastoral committee that agreed to take on the challenge over a year ago.
The not-for-profit housing corporation, Souris Valley Housing Incorporated, will be holding a meeting next Monday night, April 19 starting at 7 o'clock, that is open to the general public. The meeting will be held at the Living Hope Church at 100 King Street.
Sinclair, from St. Giles Anglican Church, said the committee is actively pursuing emergency shelter and an increase to the affordable housing market in Estevan.
"We're staying with it with the pastoral leadership team and we want to update the community on where we've made some gains, release some additional information on the housing situation and with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and how it relates to Estevan lately," he said.
"This is one area of the country where rental rate increases have been substantial. We are working with one-year-old statistics, but within the year we have information about, the rental rates here for bachelor units went up 53 per cent and 40 per cent for two and three bedroom apartments," said Sinclair. "That makes it difficult since the rates in other jurisdictions have gone up eight, nine to 13 per cent with the largest being 19 per cent."
With the purchasing market continuing to skyrocket, "more people are getting left behind," said Sinclair, noting that the city has a large contingent of working poor who have to be accommodated somehow. He added that high income businesses and professionals can't continue to function effectively without the low income employees making their contributions.
"So we're having a meeting, we're inviting people to show a little generosity, whether it be in the form of land, or as a development partner. We need people with contracting and construction expertise people with legal and financial expertise to step up and help us explore a few options," Sinclair added.
Spectra Credit Union has donated some acquired former motel units to the cause, but the committee needs land to put them on. They are also seeking land for duplex development.
"We want to assure citizens we're not creating a slum neighbourhood. That's not what this is about at all."
The housing development team is also exploring CMHC programs that might be available, pointing out that basement suites in homes can be constructed with up to $25,000 in renovation grants from that central housing body. There are also grants available for those willing to renovate a former business facility into residential housing.
The team is also prepared to enter the political fray to see if elected representatives are prepared to enact some laws that will require certain segments of future developments include lower cost units.
Those joining Sinclair on the pastoral team are Pastors Kathie Schmitke, and Chris Smith along with William Sinclair and member-at-large Leonard Haukeness.
The committee has made an application to become an official charitable organization with a registration number for donations, but in the meantime, the churches they represent can accommodate any charitable values they receive.
"If we're continually doing things just for the well off, we'll be limiting our community. There are tons of jobs to offer but if we can't offer affordable housing, we won't be able to fill those jobs not for long," Sinclair said, pointing to the definition that suggests that if a person is spending more than 30 per cent of their regular income on housing, then it's not affordable.
"Our agenda is not narrow. We are open to all suggestions at this stage. We feel we have to start making some noise though. We have to be a catalyst or at least find one because we are having people from all over the world willing to come to Estevan, and wouldn't it be nice to be able to give them a place to stay?"
Sinclair said local advocates for affordable housing can contribute simply by writing letters to various levels of government and their representatives to once again clearly point out the local housing dilemma.
"We know there are programs out there that could be implemented. The local housing authority is doing their work, but most of their units are aimed at seniors now," said Sinclair.
So with new avenues to explore, the SVHI chairman said the group he represents should not be taken as a possible threat to existing construction and contracting developers, not when there is such a crying need for all kinds of accommodations in all price ranges.
He concluded by saying that this ad hoc committee was just trying to make things a little easier for those who may not have the large salaries or other advantages as they find work in the Energy City.
