FACT SHEET Housing Policy Main

Supportive Housing for Seniors

Introduction

In response to a request from several municipalities in 1997, the provincial government has conducted a review of supportive housing for seniors. The purpose was to develop a policy and legislative framework to encourage the development of market and non-market supportive housing for seniors in BC. The Housing Policy Branch of the Ministry of Social Development and Economic Security and the Office for Seniors in the Ministry of Health/Responsible for Seniors led the review, assisted by a steering committee of municipal, regional and health authority representatives.

What is supportive housing?

From the feedback received during the review, the following definition appears to accommodate most people’s conceptions of supportive housing:

Supportive housing combines building features and personal services to enable people to remain living in the community as long as they are able and choose to do so. It is housing with a combination of support services, including, at a minimum:

• a private space with a lockable door
• a safe and barrier-free environment
• monitoring and emergency response
• at least one meal a day available, and
• housekeeping, laundry and recreational opportunities.

Nursing and other health-related services are delivered by the local health authority through special arrangements or as they would be to any other individuals living independently in the community.

Supportive housing is a supportive, but not a health-care environment. It is different from assisted living, where health-care services are offered on site, usually on a flexible basis. While assisted living is a form of care that takes place in a housing-type setting, supportive housing is first and foremost housing that reduces day-to-day demands on residents, and where they generally take care of their own affairs. Supportive housing is not regulated as a care facility; assurance of quality is provided through consumer protection measures, chief of which is the contract or occupancy agreement between the resident and the housing provider.

Actions and activities

Throughout 1998 and early 1999, we held a series of meetings across the province with representatives from local government planning departments, health professionals, senior citizen counsellors, representatives of community-based organizations, and housing providers, both private and non-profit. The information and opinions from these meetings, along with other research we have done, is available in a report entitled Supportive Housing in Supportive Communities that outlines our findings and proposals.

In July 1999, the Minister responsible for BC Housing announced that HOMES BC, the Province’s housing program, would include funding assistance for a minimum of 200 supportive housing units. Subsidies through this program will enable non-profit housing groups to enter into partnerships with local governments and regional health authorities to develop supportive housing. This will help to address the problem of affordability faced by many seniors, which was raised many times at our consultations.

The program is being administered by BC Housing, which met with groups across BC to provide information on the program and how applications can be made. The response was very enthusiastic, and 310 units have received provisional project approval.

Community for Life, the report of the Review of Continuing Care Services in British Columbia, recommends that each community have a range of flexible housing options, including supportive housing. Its implementation framework includes the establishment of a clear role for supportive housing within the Continuing Care system, while maintaining community housing characteristics.

One of the most common comments we heard at our consultations was that local governments need more information on how they can plan, encourage and regulate supportive housing in their communities. In response, the Housing Policy Branch has produced a guide for local governments and other interested parties, Supportive Housing for Seniors: A Policy and Bylaw Guide. It is available through the Ministry of Social Development and Economic Security and on the web site.

A resource centre has been established in the Housing Policy Branch of the Ministry of Social Development and Economic Security. Lists of resources and references on supportive housing and supportive communities, including publications, web sites and organizations have been compiled and linked to the ministry web sites.

Other work in progress

Other work currently in progress includes:

• Measures are being developed to protect consumers entering into life lease contracts. The Residential Tenancy Act is also being reviewed to see how well it applies to housing that is shared and/or includes a service component.
• An Inter-Ministry Working Group is being established to review options for consumer protection.
• Licensing issues relating to care and housing are being reviewed by Ministry of Health staff.
• A review of the Building Code and Fire Code for issues related to supportive housing has begun.
• BC Housing is undertaking a demonstration project at Sunset Towers, a subsidized senior housing development in Vancouver. The program is designed to provide outreach to seniors and to improve the overall co-ordination of services in the building.
• A group of government and community representatives is looking at ways to ensure that seniors with emergency shelter and service needs are able to get immediate help through existing community programs.

For More Information

Housing Policy Branch, Office of Housing and Construction Standards
Phone: 250 387-7088

Office for Seniors, Ministry of Health & Ministry Responsible for Seniors
Phone: 250 952-1238

Return to Housing Policy home page
Office of Housing and Construction Standards