Balanced Supply of Housing

Balanced Supply of Housing

@bshnode.bsky.social

CMHC-SSHRC funded group of academic and community-based housing researchers with a focus on housing affordability in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, Canada 🍁 🔗 bsh.ubc.ca

197 followers70 following299 posts

Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

50 years after the Vancouver Declaration affirmed shelter as a human right, a symposium at UBC marks the anniversary Oct 21–22. ⚖️ BSH will join panels on Housing Rights & Affordability, Human Settlements, and Women & Housing Solutions. buff.ly/bBQwGgc #RightToHousing

Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

Our first Research in Progress webinar of the season is tomorrow! Hear from Chiyi Tam, Managing Director of the Toronto Chinatown Land Trust, on how community-owned housing has kept Toronto’s Chinatown affordable for the long term. ✍️ Register here: buff.ly/qyA1McG

Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

With the Vancouver Municipal election just days away, our partners from @bcnpha.bsky.social's Housing Central team have developed a suite of resources to help voters engage in informed conversations about affordable housing & community housing solutions. Click the links below for more:

buff.lyElection 2026With voting day set for October 17, Housing Central is encouraging candidates and the community housing sector to get engaged around community housing.
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

Happening next week: Research in Progress webinar with TCLT's Chiyi Tam. Learn how community-owned housing has kept Toronto’s Chinatown affordable for generations, why that system is at risk, and what’s needed to protect it. Click below to register ⬇️

Balanced Supply of Housing@bshnode.bsky.social

Our first research in progress webinar of the season is coming up! At 10 AM on October 20, join Chiyi Tam from Toronto Chinatown Land Trust as she shares research findings from our recent Community Owned #Housing in Toronto's Chinatown report. Register here: buff.ly/rbqxO3a

buff.lyWelcome! You are invited to join a meeting: RIP Webinar Chinatown Tongs. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: RIP Webinar Chinatown Tongs. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

At the #CLTSummit in Ottawa, held over the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, one question kept resurfacing: what does it mean to leave something behind for future generations? Read our full reflections here: buff.ly/ToQpVQu

buff.lyMeeting the Moment: Truth, Reconciliation and Community Land TrustsOn the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the 2026 CLT Summit in Ottawa asked what we leave behind. This reflection outlines what it means for land, law, and housing.
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

Our first research in progress webinar of the season is coming up! At 10 AM on October 20, join Chiyi Tam from Toronto Chinatown Land Trust as she shares research findings from our recent Community Owned #Housing in Toronto's Chinatown report. Register here: buff.ly/rbqxO3a

buff.lyWelcome! You are invited to join a meeting: RIP Webinar Chinatown Tongs. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: RIP Webinar Chinatown Tongs. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

Why don't affordable housing projects stay affordable? Yukon's new statutory covenant binds affordability rules to every future owner—not just the 1st. BSH is researching this model w/NCLT, whose project helped catalyze the legislative change. Learn more at #CLTSummit. Read our blog: buff.ly/cPqsAQT

buff.lyWhy Affordable Housing Projects Don’t Stay AffordableYukon's 2024 statutory covenant offers a rare fix for a stubborn problem in Canadian property law: how to make affordable housing stay affordable. We break down how the covenant works, how it's being…
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

Our latest episode of the Overhead is out! Hear from Drs. Alina McKay & Colin Phillips as we dive into findings from our recent report on The Right to Accessible Housing: Identifying Needs & Building the Right Supply. Learn more about this research: bsh.ubc.ca/research/acc... Podcast link below ⬇️

Glyn Bowerman@glynbowerman.bsky.social

On the latest episode of The Overhead, our @spacingradio.bsky.social / @bshnode.bsky.social special series, we talk about the physical and systemic barriers to housing people living with disability face in Canada: spacing.ca/national/202...

spacing.caThe Overhead: Accessible Housing - Spacing NationalTHIS EPISODE: Accessible Housing In this episode, we talk about the physical and systemic barriers facing people living with a disability who are trying to access housing in Canada. University of Brit...
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

Is home ownership still the dream, or is it time to rethink secure housing? Join UBC experts, featuring BSH Director Dr. Alexandra Flynn, Paul Kershaw & Jack Favilukis for a webinar on affordability & what housing stability could look like beyond ownership. Oct 7, 12 PM PT Register buff.ly/3gpBPRK

bsh.ubc.caHome ownership: Is it still the dream?While many middle-income Canadians achieved the dream of home ownership in previous decades, that vision seems increasingly elusive for younger generations and newcomers today. In this virtual…
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

“We found absolute, iron-clad evidence that short-term rental (STR) regulations put downward pressure on rent. Lots of things cause housing to be expensive, but this is low-hanging fruit to manage those costs.” —David Wachsmuth 📰 buff.ly/WQoaB1M Visit buff.ly/CU6LrU2 for more BSH research on STRs.

mcgill.caMcGill study demonstrates that restricting short-term rentals improves housing affordabilityMunicipal regulation of short-term rentals “is low-hanging fruit” that helps improve housing affordability, a new study by McGill researchers suggests. The study found that rents were relatively…
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

With Canada facing a critical shortage of #affordablehomes, vacancy taxes offer a promising solution. Our latest blog explores policies from British Columbia, Vancouver, & Toronto that discourage speculation and return empty homes to the rental market. ➡️ Read more: buff.ly/sE24NLe

Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

When National Occupancy Standards are treated as rigid rules instead of guidelines, the families most in need often pay the highest price. Read our newest blog to see how the National Occupancy Standards are shaping access to housing in ways they were never intended to. Read more: buff.ly/FSahiJh

Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

For over a century, a handful of Chinatown associations have quietly run one of Toronto's most effective & overlooked affordable housing systems. A new BSH report from TCLT shows how they've sheltered low-income tenants for generations, and why that system is now at risk. Read more: buff.ly/5Y0sEXe

bsh.ubc.caThe Landlords that History Forgot: Inside Toronto Chinatown's Affordable Housing SystemFor over a century, a handful of family and district associations most people have probably never heard of have quietly run one of Toronto's most effective, and most overlooked, affordable housing…
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

"Despite zoning and land use changes to allow multiplexes and small apartment buildings in more places, the reality is that such designs are not yet living up to their architectural potential." Read the latest by BSH researcher Conrad Speckert on the argument for single-stair zoning: buff.ly/eXolLok

spacing.caBridging the gap between houses and high-rises - Spacing TorontoMany of us want more sustainable, safe, affordable and accessible homes. Despite zoning and land use changes to allow multiplexes and small apartment buildings in more places, the reality is that…
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

400 DTES tenants are now at risk of #displacement as deeply affordable SRO hotels get bought up and emptied out, with more buildings headed into foreclosure. The SRO Collaborative and DTES CLT are speaking out today, 2pm at Gore and Union. If you're in Vancouver, show up and stand with community.

Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

Canadians' right to adequate housing is enshrined in the NHS Act, but 1.4M households are in core housing need, homelessness is up sharply since 2018 & no-fault evictions remain a top driver of housing instability. Our recent HUMA brief outlines key recommendations to rebalance the system:

Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

🏘️ Increase and improve federal homelessness funding 🔑 Protect security of tenure 🏗️ Invest in non-profit housing ⚖️ Make the right to adequate housing enforceable for people living in encampments Click to read more: buff.ly/ZJVlTLn

buff.lyRebalancing the System: Ending Homelessness Through Increased Federal Funding for Homelessness, Improved Rental Tenure, Affordability, and Rights Recognition Brief submitted by Drs. Alexandra Flynn and Alina McKay on behalf of the Balanced Supply of Housing Node at the University of British Columbia’s Allard School of Law
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

New podcast alert! This fantastic conversation with TCLT's Chiyi Tam deserves a spot on your queue this week. The episode highlights forthcoming BSH research that identifies existing affordable housing stock in Toronto's Chinatown that are vulnerable to speculation and eviction threats.

New Housing Alternatives@newhousingalt.bsky.social

Don’t miss our new episode with Chiyi Tam of Toronto Chinatown Land Trust. Chiyi shares stories of how, in the face of intense displacement pressures, CLT's can bring communities together to protect homes & cultural spaces. podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/f...

podcasts.apple.comFrom Tongs to Trusts: Mutual Aid in Toronto's ChinatownPodcast Episode · New Housing Alternatives · July 17 · 33m
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

TCLT has identified community-led strategies for housing preservation & acquisition through the CLT model, and they're already getting started on developing a new project. 📕Learn more about the research: bsh.ubc.ca/research/who... 🧑‍💻Visit TCLT online: chinatownlandtrust.ca ➡️Stay tuned for the report.

bsh.ubc.caWho Owns Chinatown? | Balanced Supply of HousingLast modified: This project identifies existing affordable housing stock in downtown Chinatown that is vulnerable to speculation, upscaling and eviction threats; and develops community-led strategies ...
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

New #socialhousing report authored by @bshnode.bsky.social's Alina McKay & Ella Barrett, generously funded by @newhousingalt.bsky.social, finds that supportive housing lacks a consistent legal framework across Canada (only BC comes close), fuelling funding silos & unclear tenant rights. Read more ⬇️

New Housing Alternatives@newhousingalt.bsky.social

Supportive housing providers face a patchwork of overlapping and inconsistent regulatory frameworks across Canada. Out today! Our new report explores the challenges this poses for those working to end homelessness, proposing clear solutions. 🧵👇 newhousingalternatives.ca/defining-sup...

Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

New book from Dr. Alexandra Flynn & Dr. Joe Hermer, The Bylaw State, examines how municipal bylaws have become the main tool cities use to govern homelessness. Too often, these laws exclude people experiencing homelessness from public space. Read our reflections on the BSH blog:

buff.lyThe Bylaw State: How Small Rules Shape Big InjusticesThe Bylaw State: Encampment Evictions and the Struggle for Public Space explores how municipal bylaws have become a primary tool for governing homelessness and the legal challenges reshaping access…
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

👏 Applauding @villedemontreal.montreal.ca's recent investment in the city's rental assistance program: interest-free loans of up to $5K to help an additional ~150 households stay housed ahead of July 1 moving day, managed by Maison du Père. 📰 Montreal's new program in the news: buff.ly/3Y6WAjk

montreal.citynews.caMontreal boosts rent assistance program ahead of July 1 moving dayWith Quebec’s annual July 1 moving day approaching, the City of Montreal is investing an additional $742,500 to expand its rent assistance bank, with the goal of helping more tenants avoid losing…
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

Keeping people in their homes is the most effective way to prevent homelessness. Rental assistance is a great intervention to prevent immediate eviction, but long term solutions lie in improving renter rights & security of tenure. 📊 Read more recommendations from our recent research: buff.ly/NE2Ib0M

buff.lyRecommendations for Strengthening Canadian Renters' Security of TenureThis report comparatively analyzes provincial eviction frameworks, examining notice periods, dispute timelines, tribunal access, rent controls, appeals, compensation, and conditional orders, to…
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

The federal and BC governments’ plan to convert more than 2,200 vacant condos into #affordablehousing has raised critical questions. Who will these homes serve, how long will affordability last, and what does this mean for non-market housing investment? Read our blog for more: buff.ly/JR7otdD

Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

This week, the National Housing Council is reading through hearing submissions on the lack of accessible housing in Canada. The final question they're trying to answer: what system-wide gaps, and what government actions and inactions, are getting in the way of progress?

Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

Without enforcement and accountability, good intentions won't translate into accessible homes. 📘 For more, read our full report: buff.ly/mwAZmuO 🧑‍💻 See our blog for key takeaways: buff.ly/oKRJ8RP

buff.lyThe Right to Accessible Housing: Identifying Needs and Building the Right SupplyThis report examines the right to adequate housing for Canadians with disabilities, exploring gaps in legal protections, affordability, and accessible housing supply, and what must change.
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

As the National Housing Council reviews written submissions on the lack of #accessible #housing this week, they're asking, what's needed to advance the right to accessible housing? Our research points to 3 key actions: ⚖️ Legal Protections 💰 Income Supports 🏠 Accessible Housing Supply

Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

Last week, we submitted a brief to HUMA as it undertakes a study of homelessness in Canada. Only one argument matters: homelessness is solvable, but only if governments invest at the scale the crisis demands, and only if they build the right kind of housing. Read our blog for more: buff.ly/Fd978ug

Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

Over 8M Canadians live with a disability, yet accessible housing remains scarce. New research from BSH finds widespread discrimination, inaccessible housing & weak enforcement of housing rights that leave many without safe, affordable homes. ➡️ Read more on our blog: buff.ly/SgLowPg

bsh.ubc.caLocked Out: How Canada's Housing System is Failing People with DisabilitiesNew research from Drs. Colin Phillips and Alina McKay documents discrimination, inaccessibility, and a vicious cycle of under-enforcement that leaves people with disabilities without safe, affordable…
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

Seńáḵw's feature in today's @nytopinion.nytimes.com isn't just a story about Vancouver's innovative approach to land use, it's about who is leading the charge. First Nations developments are challenging decades of exclusionary #zoning by building what communities actually need. 📰 buff.ly/k6wtN0B

nytimes.comOpinion | One City Might Have Just Cracked the Housing CrisisA large real estate development in the middle of Vancouver, British Columbia shows cities can build...
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

With evolving #housing regulations, projects like Seńáḵw are delivering the kind of supply Vancouver has long been waiting for. 🧑‍💻 Learn more about our research on First-Nations-led land and housing regulation: buff.ly/Ws4Oqzw

buff.lyComparing First Nations Led Land and Housing Regulation Models across Metro Vancouver | Balanced Supply of HousingThis project directly promotes the objective of Indigenous-led housing development in urban areas as a strategy in affordable housing development, including the Seńáḵw housing…
Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

This summit will bring together leaders from across Canada's #housing system to advocate for what's needed in the renewal of the NHA and identify clear, actionable strategies that serve Canadian households. One thing we're clear on: the right to housing for all needs to be front and centre.

Balanced Supply of Housing
@bshnode.bsky.social

🧑‍💻 For more on the right to housing, read about how evidence-based housing policy advances the right to housing in Canada on the Balanced Supply of Housing's blog: buff.ly/fbJyd9z

bsh.ubc.caHow Evidence-Based Housing Policy Advances the Right to Housing in CanadaCan data chart a right? In this blog, Dr. Alexandra Flynn examines how evidence-based housing research advances the constitutional and legal foundation for housing rights in Canada. Exploring the gap…