I went to Quesnel recently to attend a building grand opening. I work in affordable housing, and I see the effort that goes into getting new housing built. Each building requires an entire team of individuals who specialize in this sector, from development consultants to property managers and everything in-between.
We hear a lot about the housing crises and the importance of building and providing affordable housing, but I think we should also encourage dialogue on building community and the social impacts that come from it.
Every successful housing project, neighbourhood, non-profit or municipality is successful because of the community that operates within it.
If we talk about 鈥渂uilding community,鈥� it鈥檚 a broad term that is commonly used as a catchy buzzword. Buzzwords are trendy and often overused, and because of this sometimes the root meaning gets muffled.
It鈥檚 easy to identify a successful community, but it gets tricky to identify exactly what steps are required to make it successful, there are always so many variables involved.
At the grand opening of the affordable housing project called 鈥淜ikihnaw鈥� run by Dakelh and Quesnel Community Housing Society, I saw first-hand what building community can look like and the success that follows.
Before I realized the magnitude of the lesson I was about to learn, I joined a tour of聽the building and a couple of homes within it. Leanna Lorenz, a tenant of the building, welcomed us in her home and spread her arms and said: 鈥淲elcome to my sanctuary.鈥� It was beautiful to see her embrace her home and speak so highly of it.
It鈥檚 moments like that one that can remind all of us why it is so important to devote time and resources to building and operating affordable housing.
As I toured the building, I saw posters of weekly events and activities for the tenants to participate in. It wasn鈥檛 until well after the grand opening ceremony that I found out the activities, schedule, and distribution of information is 100 per cent initiated by the tenants.
After hearing that, it didn鈥檛 surprise me that Lorenz devotes a lot of her time to creating activities and events for her fellow neighbours in the building to participate in. Each week, Lorenz and other tenants host potlucks, movie nights, crafts and soup nights in a common room in the building.
The room opens every morning and closes at about 11 p.m. When it鈥檚 time for the room to be locked up, it鈥檚 the tenants who take care of it.
Tenants write a monthly newsletter that they distribute to all the homes in the building. The society reads and OKs all the material before distribution.
These activities and newsletters are welcomed by the tenants of the building and there is a significantly high participation rate.
I was told the common room was built with the purpose of building community, based on a study that the more community involvement people have, the risk of mental health issues and suicide drop.
We all know that anyone can provide the space but getting the space utilized to the capacity that this one is, is pretty phenomenal.
From what I saw and the people I spoke to, I think the magic in this approach is giving the tenants the power and authority to host the events they want. Of course, the society needs to be involved and ensure all activities fall within the mandate, but I think it鈥檚 the sense of ownership that makes this work.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a team effort and we are all in it together,鈥� said Luanne Ruotsalainen, executive director, who selected the name of the building, which means 鈥淥ur home鈥� in Cree.
Through this trip, I feel that I learned something from Ruotsalainen鈥檚 leadership and that is ensuring everyone involved including tenants, staff, community members and guests are all considered important and given authority to feel involved.
This story really struck me because it demonstrated to me that when the power dynamics are removed or lessened, the community members not only participate, they contribute.
I think that鈥檚 the formula.
Charla Huber is the director of communications and Indigenous relations for M鈥檃kola Housing Society and M鈥檃kola Development Services.
