WHEREAS housing management bodies (HMBs) that provide supportive living facilities for seniors (lodges) are facing continual unanticipated increasing cost pressures including inflation, higher utility costs and interest rate increases; and
WHEREAS these increasing cost pressures are impacting HMB operations, resulting in deficits that require higher requisition requests as they try to balance capital repairs and operating expenses; and
WHEREAS the overall outcome of the increased cost pressures is reduced affordability for residents; and
WHEREAS the Government of Alberta has announced the Affordability Action Plan designed to provide assistance to seniors facing affordability crises; and
WHEREAS there is no assistance available for supplies or capacity needed for capital maintenance of the actual lodges which are also negatively affected by the increased costs crisis; and
WHEREAS the Government of Alberta has previously provided selected organizations with capital maintenance level funding, however, this is no longer available to HMBs; and
WHEREAS HMBs are in immediate and long-term need of this support to sustain and improve Alberta’s seniors’ facilities;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Rural Municipalities of Alberta advocate to the Government of Alberta to increase funding to housing management bodies to alleviate the affordability crisis and provide funding for capital upkeep or replacement needed to sustain supportive living at senior lodges.
A recent presentation by the Grande Spirit Foundation Housing Management Body (HMB) highlighted the fact that all capital replacement funding is becoming the sole responsibility of the organization as lodges are not eligible for additional funding from provincial grants. HMBs can typically access support from the Canadia Mortgage and Housing Corportation for new facilities and capital maintenance via borrowing along with some provincial funding to complete new projects, but not for existing facilities. HMBs throughout the province submit annual business plans to the Government of Alberta with capital renewal requests for existing and new facilities. These requests were funded through grants in the past, which assisted HMBs to prioritize and upgrade capital repairs as required. This grant funding for capital repairs either no longer exists or insufficient to support aging lodge infrastructure. The result is the HMB either continues to raise rental rates to the maximum of residents’ income as per the Social Housing Regulation and further challenges affordability for residents, or increases municipal requisitions which adds to the existing tax burden for municipal ratepayers. The Grande Spirit Foundation currently has over 1100 units with 1700 residents, and has approximately $90 million in capital budgets in planning to assist people in need of housing accommodation.
12-22F: Grants-in-Lieu of Taxes for Public Housing Management Authorities
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) advocate to the Government of Alberta to increase funding towards the Rent Assistance Benefit program; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that the RMA advocate to the Government of Alberta to reinstate grants in-lieu-of taxes for housing units operated by public housing management bodies; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that RMA advocate to the Government of Alberta to revise the Alberta Housing Act by replacing “may” with “shall” in section 27(1) and by deleting section 27(2).
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5-21F: Seniors’ Foundation Requisitions
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) request the Government of Alberta to engage municipalities, and membership associations such the Alberta Seniors and Community Housing Association in a review of the Alberta Housing Act to provide clarity on requisitioning for capital assets, associated interest costs and debenture payment obligations for member municipalities;
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that the RMA request the Government of Alberta to review the oversight of the Ministry of Seniors and Housing over housing management bodies (HMBs) to ensure that all HMBs are correctly and consistently requisitioning municipalities under the requirements of the Housing Act;
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that RMA request that the Government of Alberta provide enhanced training and education, including a training guide to municipal councils and HMBs on the Housing Act and the Management Body Operation and Administration Regulation to ensure they have a clear understanding of their financial powers, limitations and responsibilities, including related to requisitioning and reserve creation;
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that RMA request the Government of Alberta to amend the Housing Act to clearly state the ability of municipalities to approve or deny requests for capital projects.
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