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AHVIS - Affordable Housing: Vancouver Island Society
.. a provider of affordable, sustainable, secure places to live ..
WORKING TOWARDS A BRIGHTER FUTURE
At AHVIS, we’re raising community and social awareness related to the economic challenges, and consequences, we face today in a housing crisis. We promote initiatives that serve to fulfill the needs of people who find themselves displaced, in need of basic accommodation; a secure place to live. We’re focusing on low and modest income seniors, singles, other adults (especially service workers) and families.
We believe in taking action with urgency in order to raise public awareness about some of the most pressing issues facing today’s society. Join us! By supporting our efforts we can all make a measurable difference in the lives of others.
AFFORDABLE
URBAN DENSIFICATION
Optimize land coverage by building higher density accommodations, especially related to walkability to employment centres and services, and near public transit.
In anticipation of future fluctuations in the economy, community land trusts (CLTs) make a long-term commitment to the preservation of lands and buildings that come under their care: preserving affordability; promoting sound maintenance and perpetuating the original mix of incomes and uses.
SOCIALIZED / COMMUNITY HOUSING
Residents, through a Cooperative Governance Model, would be encouraged to interact, take responsibility, create initiatives, and otherwise take an active role in the ongoing management of the project.
SHARED-HOUSING INITIATIVES
Provide long-term, affordable living solutions for high-density urban environments through AHVIS's partner providers. Please check out HappiPad, a great resource to finding a new home and perhaps a new family.
REDUCED RED-TAPE
Cities, Towns and Municipalities could waive DCC’s and permitting fees on affordable housing, reduce off-site costs and simplify design requirements.
SUSTAINABLE
BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES
Environmentally-friendly, enduring, energy-conserving technologies: Use of prefabricated components: Structurally Insulated Panels (SIP’s); Wood and Hemp Biofiber blocks and panels, etc.
GREEN ENERGY
Solar DC for Electric and Hot water complemented with Wind Generators
WATER CONSERVATION
Rain Water Harvesting (including potable uses) and Recycled Grey Water irrigation systems.
DESIGN IN HARMONY WITH NATURE
Using passive-solar principles with a “permaculture approach” to the landscape.
FOOD SECURITY
The inclusion of food production areas: kitchen windows; balconies (Garden Towers); rooftops (gardens, greenhouses, solar aquaponics; yards, courtyards and street-scapes (landscaped with nut and fruit trees); plants/flowers for birds & pollinators.
COMMUNITY-ENHANCED USES
Support space for local entrepreneurs to provide services to residents & community - day care, Organic Food Market, deli-cafe-juice bar-coffee shop, innovative activities ..
SECURE
A COOPERATIVE GOVERNANCE MODEL
A mix of affordable and market-entry units in highly desirable urban settings. Co-op housing (apartment or townhouses - smaller suites or Tiny Homes) on AHVIS-run Land Bank / Trust on long-term leased lands.
PROFESSIONAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Made available through out-sourced providers. Residents will be encouraged to interact, take responsibility, create initiatives, and participate in the maintenance management projects to help reduce overall management cost.
LOW INTEREST LOANS
a) Renter/owners - assisted with down payment by credit union involvement plus private investors seeking social ventures
b) Construction financing - through CMHC
c) Deferred tax credit and other models
TOP-DOWN INVESTMENT
Cities, Towns, Municipalities, Pension Funds, Credit Unions, Corporations and .. private Citizens would invest in sustainable development for a fair return on dollars invested along with an extraordinary return in social-capital.
A Planned Tiny-Home Community
** Click Images above to enlarge or freeze-frame
AN INTER-GENERATIONAL VILLAGE IN THE MAKING
AHVIS is seeking to partner with local landowners / farmers in the mid-Island area. Key to this partnership would be property zoning, an abundance of potable water, access to sanitary sewer and hydro. Follow this link: (AHVIS Landowner Proposal)
Here’s what our community could look like:
1. Administration & Apprentice Training Centre
2. Tent Structures for fabrication and assembly of homes
3. Lots for fixed and moveable tiny home structures
4. Village Centre with inter-generational housing
5. Workers' Parking
6. Designated recreational areas
Community Amenities:
- Community Centre; Kitchen & Dining area, Library, Utility Room & Workshop, Entrepreneurial (business-for-self) offices that will be made available as rental spaces.
- Gardens; 20% of the land will be dedicated to gardens, 3-5% of which will be undercover greenhouses.
- Education; with plans to integrate all aspects of our community into the broader community, we promote onsite workshops; in permaculture, soil management and soil sciences and many healing alternative medical practices.
- Sustainability; with vision, careful thought and planning; the right people, the right energy and enthusiasm. We can do this!
The Tiny Home Village:
The Village would be comprised of a mix of units, some fixed and mortgageable, others portable - by owner financed, and transportable. To facilitate a pleasing ascetic values, color schemes will be applicable and unit screening, privacy and otherwise, will be agreed to. All accounting and legal details will be managed in accordance with best-practice accounting and legal practices, as well as from generative business commitments. Units can be customer designed, we encourage this, and / or we will provide a series of plan options that will marry well to planned ascetic beatify of the overall development.
** Units will ‘typically’ vary in size, one and two story, from 550 square feet to a maximum of 1100 square feet, much depending on zoning restrictions.
** The 'Represented Plans' have been proposed and will be pursued. Many building sites are currently being considered and winner in the end will offer up the best possible solutions for all plan amenities and considerations.
Tiny-Homes Oceanside - A Partnership in Community
A Bit of Background
Affordable Housing: Vancouver Island Society at a glance...
At AHVIS, we have a single goal; to do our part in providing affordable, sustainable, secure housing. We work with land banking/land trusts; innovative funding sources; wise use of eco-friendly building technologies; unique governance, management and maintenance models.
OUR TEAM
Daniel Duggan - danield@ahvis.org
Executive Director
Daniel brings 40+ years of experience growing businesses in the areas of finance, technology, development and construction. An owner of design / build contracting companies and a partner in international construction and development firms, Daniel has great experience to share. As a past Board Member - Director with Habitat for Humanity Central Vancouver Island and an advocate of proactive change in these challenging times, Daniel has been a party to the re-creation of AHVIS, with the intent to create affordable, sustainable housing on Vancouver Island.
Jan Hesseling - janh@ahvis.org
Business Development Manager
Jan is passionate about creating a better community for all Canadians. - Reference:
"THE EDEN CONCEPT"
"CAMPBELL RIVER - January 2019"
Jan Hesseling started his professional career in The Netherlands before he continued it in Canada since 2008. He is an experienced business consultant and management coach. He coached managers responsible for huge projects in a variety of Industries from Bridge Building, Construction, Railroad, IT, Oil Industry, etc., for more than 20 years.
Jan is passionate about introducing a solution to improve the housing situation for all Canadians.
Arni Fullerton - arnif@ahvis.org
Project Planning: Advisor and Conceptual Design
As an Architectural Designer and Community Planner: Arni’s career has taken him around the world, from Europe to south-east Asia, south central America and the Caribbean. Arni holds a Bach. of Architecture from the University of Manitoba and participated on the Planning Team for the new City of Redditch near London, Eng.; with pivotal roles in the future of Calgary (consultant) and Edmonton Alberta (Director of Inner City Planning Dept.) and Sapporo Japan (Consultant).
His Consulting roles also included planning /design of Inner City Neighbourhoods, smaller Town Centers, two Native Community Reserves, three Universities, Social Housing projects, Resort Hotels and Passive Solar homes.
At this stage in Arni’s career he has emerged as a 'Community Pathfinder' who brings the best of the best to the fore in a world so in need of common-sense and practical, sustainable solutions.
Helen Susanne Duggan - helend@ahvis.org
Community Outreach Coordinator
Helen Susanne Duggan is a Group Facilitator, Speaker, Researcher and Author. Attended UBC for four years majoring in Asian Studies.
Helen joined AHVIS in 2017 at its re-inception and has ever since been a strong advocate and supporter.
'Practical Solutions' are always at the fore of Helen’s thinking, embracing ‘Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs’ as a go-to model: 'the principles and practices of supporting human health by putting basic needs first, to ensure community members of all ages flourish, thrive and create'.
Born and raised here on Central Vancouver Island. 'I envision a return to this island’s tradition of kindness, generosity and the true spirit of community in my vision for the future.
“We are never closer to God than when we are in the act of creating.” ~ John Bradshaw.
Elaine Weidner - elaine@ahvis.org
Board Director - Strategic Planning
Elaine holds several professional and academic certificates: a teaching certification; an M.Ed in counselling (•adult education •career development •lifestyle change); an Executive Coaching Certification; and Business Management & Training, including Internet Marketing. Elaine also heads up a home-based business, Galatea Consulting, is a founding member of Transition Victoria, and is a participant on the StreetLife/ Neighbourhood Improvement/Climate Action Committees of a local Community Association. Elaine’s management and business skills are well suited to making community-based programs a success. It takes a solid structural and organizational understanding to bring ideas to life and Elaine is an expert at doing this. - Always an inspiration to the people she works with!
Gerda Christensen - gerda@ahvis.org
Board Director - Community Living Advocacy
Gerda has a McMaster University B.A. in Psychology, and ten years of experience each as medical x-ray technician and Behaviour Therapist, along with four years of instructing at Vancouver Island University in Continuing Education. Her academic pursuits dovetail with her business acumen, developed during her decade as Business Manager in her husband's shared company: FM Christensen Metallurgical Consulting. Gerda’s passion for people-care and earth-care manifests in her work with the Arrowsmith Watersheds Society and coalesces in Affordable Housing and Tiny Homes communities: creating workable models of community for those committed to living in, working for, and creating affordably sustainable living that serves all in need.
Al Kiverago - alk@ahvis.org
Past Board Director - Financial Specialist
Al Kiverago, founding member of AHVIS (Affordable Housing: Vancouver Island Society).
As a professional, Al was an AACI (Appraisal Institute of Canada) Accredited Mortgage and Real Estate Broker commercial / residential (now retired). Over the course of his career, forty plus years, Al worked across Canada for high profile companies like Crown Life and The Mortgage Group. Al Attended McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario) where he majored in Economics and English.
Al's vision for AHVIS is to help improve the quality of life for lower income seniors on Vancouver Island.
News of Note - Winter & Spring 2023
The Future is Alive and Well in Tiny-Home Communities
Building 700+ Tiny Homes & the Largest Tiny House Community Ever!
Rising Wealth Disparity Is Destabilizing Canada: by Daniel Tencer
"If it keeps going like this, Canada will be transformed, and not for the better, warns a Dalhousie professor"
Why the pandemic is the perfect time to address our obsession with single-family homes - The Brave New Home - “Our future in smarter, simpler, happier housing” ~ by Diana Lind
Moves to Make Now To Age in Place - Kiplinger
“While it can be less expensive to remain in your home than to pay for assisted living, it comes with a long to-do list.”- Full Article
How the Swedes are tackling Housing Problems and Loneliness - BBC Reel
Housing Matters (The Vancouver Real Estate Show) - Vancouver Sun
City of Vancouver senior development planner Chuck Brook and McKinsey Global Institute director Dr. Jonathan Woetzel join host Stuart McNish to discuss ways to best develop housing on government and private lands that are already paid for. - View Video Interview
Subsidized housing, immune from speculation: why Whistler's model works | Metro Matters:
Subsidized housing for half the population, immune from speculation may be a dream for many B.C. municipalities but in Whistler the housing model is a reality. In this edition of Metro Matters: On The Road, Justin McElroy looks at why it works in Whistler and doesn't exist elsewhere yet. View Video Interview
Affordable BC: Why is BC so unaffordable?
An in-depth explanation BC's housing affordability crisis and the potential solution: a Land Value Capture Tax. View Video Presentation
The Affluent Homeless: A Sleeping Pod, A Hired Desk And A Handful Of Clothes
More young people are leaning into the rental or sharing economy — owning less of everything and renting and sharing a whole lot more. Full Article
Affordable Housing is a regional issue which is inextricably tied to the economy of Vancouver Island.
PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY
We welcome your participation. As a volunteer outreach member you’ll become a valuable part of our Nonprofit Organization and help to strengthen our operation and further our mission.
Our Mission is to develop and build affordable, sustainable, secure communities for people of low or modest income; seniors, other adults (especially service workers) and families.
We partner with government, community organizations and individuals using a social investment model to provide real community benefits thereby generating sustainable returns for investors. Funds can be invested in AHVIS projects at an early stage of planning, during the development phase (and then repaid), or funds can be left in the project over time to provide interest income. The loan can be redeemed once the project generates rental revenues.
Please contact us to discuss investment possibilities.
AHVIS is a registered charity, and as a registered charity, we can issue a tax receipt / tax credit. Our registration number is: 80383 6758 BC0001. We encourage donations. For cash donations of $50 or more we'll issue a tax receipt. Other ways to contribute: gifts-in-kind (property or other items), bequests and / or anything of value. At AHVIS, we encourage multiple levels of participation and welcome inquires. Please feel free to drop us a note; info@ahvis.org
Related Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Information:
Charitable donation tax credit calculator
What is the difference between a registered charity and a non-profit organization?