Books and Book Chapters
Non-Profit and Co-operative Organizations and the Provision of Social Housing
by Dr. George Penfold, Lauren Rethoret and Dr. Terri MacDonald (published in 2016 in Scaling Up: The Convergence of Social Economy and Sustainability, Athabasca University Press)
This chapter explores the role of social economy organizations in providing social housing, also referred to as affordable or accessible housing. The authors note that the social economy plays a significant role in the delivery of almost all non-market housing services and is the primary delivery mechanism for housing aimed at the most disadvantaged. As people needing social housing often have a range of other needs, the flexible mandates of social economy organizations can also enable them to tailor programs to address a range of needs for their clients. The role and scope of social economy organizations in affordable housing has been growing as governments retreat from their traditional roles in this area. In this context, the authors identify a range of strategies for social economy organizations to consider.
Download the chapter for free. (Click on the tab for “free PDF”, then go down to chapter 7 in the list of chapters and click on the download button.)
Grandview Heights – a co-operative senior citizens housing
complex being constructed in Castlegar, Kootenay Region, British Columbia
The Resilience Imperative, Co-operative Transitions to a Steady State Economy
by Mike Lewis and Pat Conaty (published in 2012 by New Society Publishers; French translation, Impératif Transition: Construire une économie solidaire published in 2015 by les Éditions Écosociété; Korean translation published in 2015 by Tabi Publishing)
This book is based upon research and reflection supported by BALTA during its initial research program from 2006-2012. It explored many of the themes that became central to BALTA’s work in its Scaling Innovation for Sustainability Project. With our communities confronted by major sustainability challenges, many linked to the impact of climate change, it argues for replacing the paradigm of limitless economic growth with a more decentralized, co-operative, steady-state economy. It examines case studies of success in energy sufficiency, local food systems, low-cost community based financing, affordable housing and land reform. One chapter focuses on affordable housing.
Several parts of the book have been adapted into a series of online articles. See:
- Affordability Locked In: Community land trusts – good news for households, communities, & taxpayers
- The Best of Three Worlds: Mutual Home Ownership combines housing affordability with equity and fairness
- The Co-operative Land Bank: A Solution in Search of a Home
The Mutual Home Ownership Society is another innovation with promise for financial sustainability. Illustration by Don McNair from The Resilience Imperative: Co-operative Transitions to a Steady State Economy.
Projects, Reports, Journal Articles and Other Resources
Vancouver Mayor’s Task Force on Housing Affordability and the Vancouver Community Land Trust Foundation
Research Leads: Mike Lewis, Canadian Centre for Community Renewal; Dr. Penelope Gurstein, University of British Columbia; David Lach, Co-operative Housing Federation of BC
Student Research Assistant: Kristin Patten, University of British Columbia
Mike Lewis, BALTA’s lead investigator, was appointed in 2011 as a member of the Vancouver Mayor’s Task Force on Housing Affordability. Through his participation, he was able to draw on BALTA research and educate the task force members about community land trusts (CLTs) as a vehicle for affordable housing. The Task Force recommended that the City of Vancouver provide support to CLTs to enhance housing affordability in Vancouver. Subsequently, Vancouver City Council approved support for a major CLT initiative to provide 358 units of non-market rental housing under the auspices of the Vancouver Community Land Trust Foundation (VCLTF), a consortium of non-profit organizations, social finance institutions and the municipal government. An initial case study of the VCLTF initiative was completed in 2015.
Read the Vancouver Community Land Trust Foundation case study report.
Visit the Vancouver Community Land Trust Foundation’s website.
Read the final report from the Vancouver Mayor’s Task Force on Housing Affordability
BALTA 