The session will provide participants with a broad perspective of St Theresa Point First Housing Program and its challenge to provide adequate housing. The story is important to pass on to the general society about the challenges that the first nation encounters. Hopefully, in this session we will be able to start pointing in the right direction to find suitable solutions in developing adequate housing for the first nation. St Theresa Point First Nation is a remote first nation accessible by air 10 months of the year and approximately 2 months of ice road in the winter season.

• A look at the Indigenous housing sector in BC – “changing landscapes” in policies and politics
• A review of AHMA’s URN Indigenous Housing Strategy for BC
• AHMA’s participation with the new National URN Indigenous Housing Coalition
• A look at AHMA’s Asset Strategies approach

• With the complex issues around housing and homelessness, community collaboration is essential to close the gaps and work on key areas to resolve them.
• Why the police need to be involved in the battle to end homelessness.
• The impact of mental health on communities and why it needs to be addressed and involved in keeping people housed.
• Success stories and getting your community on the right paths to collaboration.

Current issues facing FN when dealing with housing assets

• Code compliance inspection during course of construction to ensure compliance with building code
• Plan reviews before building
• Lack of home inspectors for repair inspections
• Lack of estimating skills
• Lack of project management skills to oversee work that is being done
• Crooked contractors who overcharge or don’t do a good job
• Crooked suppliers who supply crappy materials or overcharge
• Homeowners with a lack of knowledge of basic home maintenance
• Bottomless pit of training / train then leave / back to square one