AHMA’s 2024 Year in Review

AHMA’s Annual Report provides a detailed breakdown of all 2024 updates and accomplishments.

AHMA regularly makes government submissions to advocate for more culturally safe, trauma-informed, and equitable approaches to Indigenous homelessness in BC. Read all of the statements here.

AHMA and our Housing Central partners released A New Affordable Housing Plan for BC.

AHMA co-authored an Op-Ed with the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition, which was published in the Tyee for Truth and Reconciliation Day.

AHMA’s advocacy led to changes in BC’s Residential Tenancy Act (RTA). In 2023, AHMA submitted a position paper on supportive housing, and new regulations came into effect in February 2024.

AHMA partnered with Community Living BC to conduct research on the housing needs of Indigenous people with diverse abilities. Read the Report Here. AHMA also collaborated with Inclusion BC to co-author a Position Paper about the Right to Parent for People with Disabilities, which will be released in 2025.

AHMA wrote an Indigenous Gender-Based Violence Housing Strategy (IGBVHS), which will be released in 2025, to respond to the need for culturally safe and supported housing identified in The Final Report on the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

 

WWW.AHMA-BC.ORG

Funding

AHMA members received $26.8 million in NICHI Funding for 16 projects across BC.

The Rental Protection Fund (RFP) enables non-profits to acquire and protect rental buildings for future affordability. AHMA played an integral role in the formation of the Rental Protection Fund. In 2024, two AHMA members, Lu’ma and Hiỷám Housing, received funding from the RFP to save tenant’s homes.

Indigenous Housing Fund (IHF): 12 AHMA members were successful in applying for this funding, which was created due to AHMA’s advocacy. In total, 41 BC projects were approved, including 667 affordable homes on-reserve, and 995 off-reserve.

AHMA received $12.8 million in funding through the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF), a key pillar of the federal government’s National Housing Strategy, to support the repairs and preservation of 855 homes for Indigenous residents in BC.

New Partnerships

AHMA signed a Memorandum of Partnership with the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) to better connect our members with health services.

AHMA formalized a new partnership with Connective to create more housing opportunities for Indigenous people.

Learn more about partnering with AHMA.

Training and Education

AHMA updated our website and built a new member communication portal.

AHMA’s Training and Evaluation team delivered training to 322 individuals from 41 member societies. In addition, AHMA launched a Cultural Safety Reflection Tool to help non-Indigenous providers better support Indigenous people.

AHMA is working with government departments and Indigenous organizations on the Indigenous Data Advisory Committee to address the lack of Indigenous identifiers in homelessness data. AHMA is also developing an Indigenous-lens evaluation framework, grounded in the cultural context for all of our CCH sites.

 

WWW.AHMA-BC.ORG

 

 

Events

 

AHMA staff presented at 20 events in 2024 as keynote speakers, panellists, co-hosts, or lead presenters to advocate for Indigenous housing.

AHMA hosted a gathering for the Indigenous Advisory House (IAH) on homelessness, with 59 attendees from 27 organizations. Following this gathering, the IAH developed an Action Plan, which was submitted to the government in June.

AHMA presented at the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness conference. The topic was “Exploring Inclusive Housing for Indigenous People with Diverse Abilities.”

AHMA was a presenting partner at Housing Central, Canada’s largest affordable housing conference, which brought together housing advocates and providers from across the country. AHMA hosted, co-hosted, or presented:

• Grandmother’s Kitchen
• Cultural Safety for Housing Providers
• Trauma-informed Approaches
• Indigenous Housing and Homelessness
• Indigenous Caucus (various topics)
• Wise Practices in Indigenous Housing
• Energy retrofits

Margaret Pfoh attended Housing on the Hill, where she hosted a fireside chat with Minister Sean Fraser to discuss national funding and support for Indigenous housing.

AHMA attended and presented at BCNPHA RENT events in Prince George, Kelowna, Lower Mainland, and Victoria.

AHMA worked with members to open the first Complex Care Housing Project in Surrey, and four more sites are underway. These projects offer land-based healing and personalized support to assist individual journeys.

AHMA created a Youth Policy Cohort to support the education and development of Indigenous youth.

Two AHMA members celebrated big anniversaries in 2024! This is the 50th year that Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society has been operating in BC, and the Aboriginal Housing Society of Prince George has been operating for 40 years. Read about AHMA member success stories.

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