Executive Director of NB Non Profit Housing says New Brunswick poised to make great progress in the

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2-649 Queen St, Fredericton, NB E3B 1C3

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2-649 rue Queen, Fredericton, and N.-B. E3B 1C3

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Affordable Housing at Critical Juncture

Executive Director of NB Non Profit Housing says New Brunswick poised to make great progress in the continuum of affordable housing

Fredericton, NB (March 14, 2017) – The approval of a new apartment complex on Connaught Street in Fredericton has leaders talking about the availability of adequate and affordable housing. “There are 30,000 New Brunswickers in core need of affordable housing,” said Dan Murphy, Executive Director of the New Brunswick Non Profit Housing Association (NBNPHA). “The recent work on homelessness in four New Brunswick cities highlights the starting point for the work that needs to be done, and it’s great to see municipal leadership not only identifying these issues, but taking a key role in addressing them.”

In February, Environment and Local Government Minister Serge Rousselle announced changes to the Municipalities Act, which will be replaced by the Local Governance Act with the intention to give broader powers to municipal governments to enact bylaws without having to request legislative changes. Some of these bylaws could positively impact the availability of affordable housing, in giving local governments the power to create incentives for the development of affordable housing units.

The province’s current affordable housing stock sits at about 14,000 units. “This is less than half of the needed units, and as operating agreements continue to expire over the next 4 years, the viability of these units- which are aging- is in question. We have a unique opportunity in 2017 to work with the Provincial government towards a new Housing Strategy for the province which we are hopeful will address viability, sustainability and growth.”

The NBNPHA sits on the Mayor’s Task Force on Homelessness, in Fredericton. “It’s encouraging to see Municipal leaders taking a front line approach on these issues. Without safe, high-quality and affordable housing, vulnerable populations are not equipped to address other needs such as health, wellness and education. All of these factors have long term economic impacts on our Province.”

“The simple fact that all of these leaders- Municipal, Provincial and Federal- are identifying housing as a priority area, and acknowledging that we need to take action whether it be investing, or changing regulations to make it more attractive for new investment in affordable housing, is very positive. As an Association, we will be bringing over 200 members together in May to help provide input into the government’s consultation on the new Housing Strategy”. The NBNPHA’s 24th Annual Conference will be held May 11-13, 2017 at the Delta Beauséjour in Moncton, NB. “We’ve set aside the entire day of Thursday, May 11, to talk housing strategy and we’ve engaged Noulabs and NB Social Research Policy network to help design a framework for the day that will provide the most productive use of our time together. We are hopeful that provincial and municipal leaders will be involved in this,” says Murphy.

Innovation and collaboration are key to the future of affordable housing in New Brunswick. “One thing the Mayor’s Task Force is doing really well is involving experts in the community who see connections that span across what may seem like unrelated services - housing, architecture, health care, transportation, urban planning.”

Ensuring that the future of affordable housing receives the consideration and scrutiny it requires will be key. “We are currently in a cycle of reactivity when it comes to housing. We need a long term commitment to affordable housing from all levels of government to ensure that everyone has access to safe and affordable housing. We need to take this opportunity, through innovation and engaging as many stakeholders are possible, to move into a proactive method of addressing housing needs, from homelessness to affordable housing to home ownership”.

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For additional information or to schedule an interview, please contact:

Dan Murphy, Executive Director

New Brunswick Non Profit Housing Association Inc

T: 1-506-451-4772 ext 201

E: danmuprhy@nbnpha.com

About the New Brunswick Non Profit Housing Association

The NBNPHA is an association of over 200 non-profit and co-operative housing organizations, members of the NBNPHA provide affordable housing to more than 6,000 New Brunswick households who otherwise would not have a safe, affordable place to call home. Established in 1993, the NBNPHA’s mission is to support and strengthen New Brunswick’s non-profit and co-operative housing sector so that all residents can have a safe, affordable place to call home.

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