Alternative Housing Solutions Working Group-Action Points

Alternative Housing Solutions Working Group
Action Points

1. It was decided that the draft mission is a work in progress. We will continue to work with it until it feels right for everyone. Some of the questions and suggestions that were put forward today are:

What does alternative mean? Non-market commercial options, ie, no more than 30% of income. Alternative means inclusive, secure, diverse, and socially/architecturally/housing sustainable. Vicki offered a mission from another group: to promote and protect permanently sustainable housing on Cortes Island and that brought up the question what does sustainable mean? Living today without compromising the future; capacity to maintain a certain process or state.

Sandra and Suzan will coordinate the reworking of the mission statement on the forum that Romina sets up.

2.Something to keep in mind as we proceed is to acquire funding for administrative staff to do research, grant applications, and documentation.

3.Paul will send us the charette process that Manson's Landing went through.

4. Sandra says BC Housing is looking for alternative housing proposals now. The BC Real Estate Foundation also has money for good projects. The Rental Assistance Program has a fund for home repairs.

5.Some research needs to be done in terms of alternative waste management. Is there anyone willing to prepare a research report? Ron Seal is a possible ally who is respected by the Health Department.

6. Romina and Vicki will work on archiving the existing communication to-date.

7. Krista will email the summary of the needs summary research. Krista, Kelly, and Paul will coordinate composing the needs assessment questionnaire on the forum.

8. Romina will set up a content management system that includes a forum where we can all work on documents together. The site will be login access for now. The login will also take us to the archived material.

9. A site/land sub-committee will be coordinated by David and Steve with consultation by Vicki. Some of the sites/land to be considered are:
Richard Lawton's $1.3M piece of land by the bank.

Crown piece by the Rod and Gun Club. Could we swap it for another piece closer to Manson's Landing? Sandra will continue to gather information on all the possible crown land pieces that could be used for alternative housing.

80 acres at $549,000 zoned for six dwellings maximum (set up like the Siskin Lane model)

Whaletown Commons

Squirrel Cove Woodlot – an eco-village maybe

Bartholomew Road lots

Richard Lawton's piece of land across from Stitchville for a co-op housing project.

Talk with Scott Mercs about his plans for the land the Co-op is on.

10. Consider getting an organization/society started that can administer alternative housing solutions, receive grants, and draft protocols regarding land governance. FOCI can hold title to land in trust on behalf of the housing society. Should we encourage people to donate land to FOCI?

11. Many alternative housing options were briefly presented. David will do up one paragraph about each model and post it on the forum for us.

12. DO SOMETHING SMALL FIRST AND DO IT WELL!!

13. Shall we consider meeting for an all day session again on Friday, March 13th? Could we have it at your house again David and bring food and wood to share? If yes, shall we set an agenda collectively on the forum?