George PenfoldRegional Innovation Chair

Selkirk College

Healthy Housing Society, New Denver B.C., September 25, 2008

Background on housing industry

Background on population

Background on housing stock.

Census based needs assessment

Roles in responding to needs?

$78.6 M (72% of total) in Residential Building Permits RDCK, 2007

54% of Residential Permit Value in rural RDCK

Annual house maintenance - Estimate @ 1% = $63.5 M annually

Kootenay Development Region 1997 2007

Total employed, all industries ('000) 65.3 77.1

Construction 3.6 9.2Finance, insurance, real estate, leasing 3.0 3.2Business, building, support services 1.6 2.4Manufacturing 7.6 8.4Forestry, fishing, mining, oil and gas 4.1 5.4

RDCK (2008) Assessed Developed Residential Property Value - $6.35 B ($113,400 per person)

Largest “equity” pool for many households

Big contributor to basic quality of life, comfort and to “status” for many

Homeowners contribute to lack of affordable inventory by “up scaling,” “home makeovers”

“Boomer” generation retiring. Creates housing demand for retired, semi retired and “amenity migrants”

West Kootenay Labour Force projected needs - 7,100 new and replacement workers 2006 to 2011

Competing demands generate increasing prices if supply is not adequate

Homeowners contribute to affordable inventory by “up scaling,” “home makeovers”

Average RDCK dwelling value escalated more (62%) than average household income (14%), and rental rates (8.35%) - 2001 to 2006

% of Total Population

Location(2006 Census)

Avg. Dwelling Value 2006

Avg. Household Income 2005

Avg. Dwelling Value 2006/Avg.

Household Income 2005

Arrow Lakes/Slocan $227,480 $44,804 5.1

Nelson Salmo $267,855 $52,424 5.1

RDCK $240,339 $51,574 4.7

BC $418,703 $67,675 6.2

Location (2006 Census)

% Total HouseholdsSpending 30% or more

Proportion Rental

Arrow Lakes 24.4% 33.9%

Nelson Salmo 28.4% 46.3%

RDCK 23.8% 41.5%

BC 28.4% 45.5%

Total Income(Tax filer 2005) Total

MedianIncome

AverageIncome

Couple economic families 13,945 $57,197 $66,043

Male lone-parent economic families 480 $48,918 $50,667

Female lone-parent economic families 1,775 $27,918 $34,581

Males 15 years and over not in economic families 4,790 $23,143 $30,125

Females 15 years and over not in economic families 4,625 $18,744 $23,775

Following are possible categories of housing need:

• basic shelter (emergency, homeless)• shelter/care• subsidized rental housing• market rental housing• non-market housing• market housing

Different partners and roles depending on what housing is being considered: Local and/or Regional Government Provincial and Federal Government (BC

Housing, CMHC) Local and/or Regional NGO’s, CBT Private Sector

Need to start thinking about, collaborating, and developing strategies for housing in Labour Market and Housing Market contexts