Commentary on Social Housing Co-authored by Nicole Chaland

Hello Members of Greater Victoria Acting Together

As you all know, November 22nd was National Housing Day, and we asked you to take action in mobilizing your communities and organizations to sign a joint letter which was written and led by members of the Housing Justice Project. This letter was written by people with lived experience of homelessness, and housing and homeless outreach workers, calling on all levels of government to take radical action to provide social housing and support for our unhoused neighbours.

I was honoured that on November 23rd, I had the chance to deliver this letter directly to Minister of Housing, Ravi Kahlon to tell him that homelessness in our province is a humanitarian crisis and needs to be put first. My involvement in this effort was incidental. It was a brief meeting in a hallway of the Legislature. I received an invite from another community group I have worked with in the past, and seized the opportunity to bring forward some really important work being done by members of our community.

The real work was done through the Housing Justice Projects direct uplifting of those voices that are so often left unheard in the halls of power. As we continue to work towards housing justice, we must be led from the ground up. There is a saying among marginalized communities that Nothing About Us, Without Us, Is For Us. We are unable to do this work in a just way without building relationships with those affected, and allowing their voices to be heard. We are not here to do charity, but to build solidarity and power to enact change. This can only occur in relationship to the people most impacted and marginalized by the status quo.

Thank you to all those who joined us in the call for housing justice. Let’s keep the pressure on all levels of government to make sure housing is affordable and safe for everyone.