Revelstoke city councillors tabled a move to reduce their representation on the Revelstoke Community Housing Society board from four to one councillor. A staff report recommended the change now that the city is no longer funding the arm’s-length society. However, Coun. Antointette Halberstadt objected, leading to a temporary delay until some outstanding issues can be explored.
“Housing is still unattainable for many people here, it’s still an issue we hear about in the community social development committee, there are still women – victims of domestic abuse – who are having to leave town because there is no place for them to rent with their children,” Halberstadt said. She added the RCMP and the health authority had experienced difficulty recruiting because of the high cost of housing here. “Housing is still an issue, and I think it’s still a very crucial issue even though it is not in a state of terrible crisis,” she said.
Coun. Tony Scarcella added other communities had experienced success bringing in funding from other levels of government because of their affordable housing planning.
Although no timeline was set, the item is due to be explored by council again soon.
The change to the relationship between the society and the city was one of several outlined in a staff report.
The new agreement seeks to strike a more simplified agreement between the city and the society. The change does not end the society’s aim to develop affordable housing options, but it doesn further distance the city from those activities.