YWCA BC is seeking proposals from a qualified consultant to support the development of a comprehensive Housing Strategy Plan.

For over 125 years, YWCA BC has worked to advance gender equity alongside women, families, Two-Spirit and gender-diverse people through advocacy and integrated services that foster personal, collective and economic well-being. It is one of the largest social service agencies in British Columbia and operates on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples. 

Housing is one of the pillars of the YWCA BC. Together with the YWCA Housing Society of BC, we currently provide 561 units of non-market housing which include transitional housing, second stage transitional housing, long term housing with supports for women and single mothers and their children living on low or moderate incomes, as well as below-market housing. We partnered with municipalities, non-profits and developers with funding support from BC Housing, CMHC, Reaching Home and private donors to bring new housing developments to fruition to meet the housing needs of vulnerable women and children who are often trapped in a violent relationship with no ability to afford market housing.  We operate housing in a variety of contexts, including stand-alone wood frame buildings, on customized floors within large new apartment buildings, and above community amenities, such as a library and a firehall.  Our housing provides programs and supports to help women and children gain personal and economic independence while building community and connections for brighter futures. Having stable housing is critical to disrupting intergenerational cycles of poverty and inequality. We have seen how access to affordable, independent housing transforms women’s lives by breaking the financial dependencies that once limited their choices. In today’s market, where high rents are forcing many women to remain in or return to unsafe relationships, ensuring stable, attainable housing is essential to advancing safety, autonomy, and equality.

Project Scope

The selected consultant will:

• Assess current and projected housing needs among our target populations
• Review existing programs, assets and service models
• Analyze relevant market and policy conditions as well as funding landscapes

The final deliverable will be a clear, actionable housing strategy (3–5 years) that:

• Defines priorities and measurable outcomes
• Identifies decision-making criteria, opportunities and risk mitigation
• Includes a framework for assessing redevelopment potential, unit mix and growth considerations
• Provides financial forecasting and modelling to support sustainable growth
• Identifies capital requirements to sustain buildings and infrastructure over a 30-year period
• Articulates a philosophy of housing as core to the organization’s mission and service delivery, its impact and intersectionality within the organization
• Highlights organizational and sector risks, with mitigation strategies within the broader housing and policy context
• Maps partnership and funding opportunities
• Includes an implementation roadmap with timelines and performance measures

Qualifications and Evaluation Criteria

• Relevant experience and qualifications of the consultant/team
• Proposed methodology, timeline feasibility, and stakeholder engagement plan
• Expertise in affordable housing strategy and non-profit or community organization funding contexts
• Demonstrated success delivering actionable, results-oriented plans
• Clarity of proposed budget and estimated timeline
• Examples of similar completed projects

Project Timeline

The project can span up to 6 months from contract award. Key milestones:

• Kickoff and scope definition
• Stakeholder engagement and analysis
• Draft strategy presentation and review
• Final strategy and presentation to the Board