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Preservation Fund: Financial Assistance with Essential Planning Tools
In October, we reported on New Money from CMHC for Planning through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)’s Preservation Fund. The fund was created as an offshoot of the Seed Funding program, which allows co-ops with federally administered operating agreements, in good standing, to apply
Arrears and Bad Debts: Continued Improvement
Your co-op is in the housing business, not the lending business. If a household doesn’t pay what it owes and moves out, you’re left with a bad debt, which will have to be covered by your other members. It is important for your co-op to keep arrears to a minimum and even better, to keep them at zero!
Say “No” to Directors in Arrears and Put it in Writing
Everyone agrees that housing co-ops need to eliminate member arrears—or at least keep them to a bare minimum. Uncontrolled arrears are the mark of a co-op sliding into financial difficulty, putting at risk its ability to cover day-to-day operating expenses. Arrears also take money out of the members
Federal Program Housing Co-ops: Getting Better All the Time
There’s no doubt that, as a group, the Agency’s client housing co-operatives are continuing to produce better results. We compared their performance in 2018 with their operations in the Agency’s early years—now more than a decade ago—and we are impressed with our clients’ progress. It was also good
Hawthorne Housing Co-operative: A More Sustainable Future
What is Hawthorne Housing Co-operative thinking? Many co-ops would view its healthy condition with envy and look for no further improvement. Yet, with the end of its extended operating agreement in view, Hawthorne (Surrey, BC) is preparing itself for a sustainable future.
On the whole, the 59-unit
Savings through Sustainable Changes
Co-ops have many reasons for wanting to be more sustainable. Some members like the idea of helping to combat global warming by wasting fewer resources. Others take pride in knowing that their co-operative is a good corporate citizen and a credit to the movement. Still others just want to lead a
More Time to Apply for Your CHF Canada Green Co-op Microgrant
Does your co-op have a small green project in mind? This is your moment. Apply now and take advantage of the deadline extension to April 30, 2020.
Housing co-ops can save some money and help the environment too through CHF Canada’s Greener Co‑op Microgrant program. The grant applications are
FCM: Sustainable Affordable Housing Fund
On May 15, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) launched a $300 million fund to support sustainable affordable housing. This fund will help pay for the planning and delivery of retrofits and new construction for higher energy performance.
Here’s what we know so far from FCM….
The Green
Tip of the Month
Management Trend
The trend to hire management companies continues. 58% of co-ops hire management companies, compared to 28% that employ independent staff as their managers.