Affordable housing is in crisis across the country, from large urban centers to rural Annapolis County in Nova Scotia. Quite simply there isn't enough housing - affordable or otherwise - to make sure that everyone has a safe, clean, and accessible place to call home.
Building any housing is challenging these days, but building affordable housing in rural Nova Scotia is particularly challenging. Costs for supplies and materials keep increasing, there's a shortage of certified tradespeople, and developers need to make some profit in order to keep building. And while there is funding available, developers need to partner with a nonprofit organization in order to qualify for that funding.
That's where the Annapolis County Housing Association (ACHA) comes in. ACHA is a registered nonprofit organization that was formed in response to the growing concerns and need for affordable housing within Annapolis County. As a nonprofit ACHA is able to apply for funding and partner with developers on projects to start building affordable housing.
Since incorporating as a non-profit in 2023, ACHA has accomplished a number of foundational pieces of work to date including:
completing the By Laws and Articles of Agreement,
forming a founding volunteer Board of Directors,
meeting with municipal, regional and provincial partners around land development opportunities
exploring and accessing initial affordable housing funding
formally engaging the community through in-person sessions and online surveys to gather information to better understand the needs of the community
developing a Strategic Plan including the Mission, Vision and Values that will guide the ACHA Board of Directors over the next 3 years
Many people in Nova Scotia are making tough choices to pay for housing:
57% cut back on fun activities
48% skip buying clothes
43% can’t pay other bills
40% go without enough food
24% can’t afford medicine or healthcare
Across smaller rural communities like Annapolis County about 39% of households find it hard to pay their bills?
Rising Costs:
Home prices soaring
Rent too high
Housing shortage
Rural Nova Scotia: It's hard to find a developer
Volunteer Board: It's a big commitment to ask of volunteers
Steep Learning Curve: Multiple grants to apply for and manage, lack of experience
Community Support: Need the communities to support the project and for a ground swell of community support
Fundraising: Under the Land for Housing grant program, ACHA needs to raise significant funds towards the cost of construction
High costs of building: The costs for materials, labour and loan interests are higher than ever
Costs increase to bring a crew to rural Nova Scotia - there's a shortage of skilled trades
Mortgage Rate Increases means higher operating costs
Can lose money Landlords can be locked into leases where they lose money over time as other costs increase