OUR MANDATE:

We work to provide access to safe, affordable and appropriate housing that meets the diverse and changing needs of the southern Sunshine Coast

OUR WORKING STRUCTURE:

Cover The Coast is a Sunshine Coast Affordable Housing Society initiative that is building on the efforts of local housing providers, community organizations, local government, and private sector developers to provide safe, affordable, and appropriate housing that meets the diverse and changing needs of the southern Sunshine Coast.

The team is working with local organizations and government to implement a Housing Action Plan that will build capacity in the community housing sector, foster partnerships between government and housing providers, advocate to all levels of government for funding and policies that promote the development of community housing across the spectrum (workforce housing, affordable housing, supportive housing, emergency housing), and nurture the development of an educated and engaged community.

The work will be informed by the Sunshine Coast Housing Needs Report – Implementation Framework that was published in 2020 and the Poverty Reduction Strategy Report published in 2021.

This project is funded by the District of Sechelt and the SCRD, and is coordinated by the Sunshine Coast Housing Action Table.

OUR HISTORY:

Cover The Coast was created in 2020 by Deer Crossing the Art Farm Society as a response to the Sunshine Coast housing crisis. In partnership with the Sunshine Coast Affordable Housing Society, the project aimed to improve our understanding of current housing initiatives, identify areas for collective impact, and share this with the greater community.

The team conducted research to develop an online information hub that provided resources and data for the housing community, while coordinating a communications engagement campaign aimed at garnering support for change. In the spring of 2021, the project team partnered with The Poverty Reduction Strategy Project to host three online forums focused on housing, childcare, transportation, and food security. Cover The Coast became a catalyst for creating a more connected, strategically aligned, and supported housing community on the Sunshine Coast.

In May 2021, the Sechelt Housing Advisory Committee brought together housing providers, community organizations, local government, and private sector organizations as a “call to action” to address the housing crisis. A Sunshine Coast Housing Action Table was formed and a Steering Committee elected – the first regional integrated leadership team focused on affordable housing. Working with local government, the Steering Committee successfully secured funding and contracted a non-profit organization to retain a Regional Housing Coordinator.