When we were a single parent family living below the poverty line, we were evicted twice from our home. The end of the month had an underlying anxiety – would we be forced to move once again?  Too many people of all ages are facing this threat in our city every month.  

Once you have experienced residential insecurity, it is impossible to take having secure housing for granted.  I have owned three homes in my life and spent many years as a renter.  My four daughters own the home in Nelson where we currently live, and I want to do everything I can to ensure that all of my community members have safe, appropriate and affordable housing. 

In 2022, I signed the Make Housing Central Pledge as a prospective councillor and committed to working toward these goals:

• Streamline municipal permitting and rezoning processes to fast-track development of rental housing, with a specific focus on affordable rental housing (meaning households spend 30% of their income or less on housing)
• Waive development cost-charges for non-profit and co-op housing developments
• Contribute public land to non-profit and co-op housing developments for new affordable homes 
• Delegate approvals of non-profit and co-op housing developments that are consistent with Official Community Plans to municipal staff
• Include affordable housing targets to meet the unique needs of Indigenous people in housing needs reports

Safe, affordable, appropriate housing is the foundation of our mental, physical and emotional well-being.  When folks have secure housing, they have the ability to find employment, create supportive networks and heal from trauma, if that is part of their journey.

Due to the incredible tenacity of Nelson CARES Society and the Kootenay Christian Fellowship, Nelson has more affordable housing units than we did four years ago. Each successive year,  the Nelson Committee on Homelessness Report illustrates that the bulk of the work on affordable housing is still ahead of us.

Clearly articulating the shared purpose of safe affordable housing for the well-being of our most vulnerable populations and working collaboratively to expedite the process is the visionary leadership required of our council.

I’m ready.