Putting affordable housing at the top of the agenda
Brightside Community Homes Foundation (Brightside) is an advocate for affordable housing solutions, and a non-profit organization that provides safe and secure affordable homes for those struggling to meet the demands of market housing – specifically seniors, families and people with disabilities across Vancouver.
The Challenge
Brightside has been quietly providing affordable homes to those who need it most in Vancouver for 65 years yet, until recently, it had not shared its story widely.
While Brightside is the largest provider of affordable homes in the city, there are still many barriers to providing homes to these who need it most, and to solving the city’s housing security and affordability crisis.
Brightside knew it needed to share its own business model as a potential solution to affordable housing, as well as advocating for collective action and collaboration from private developers, non-profits, and policy-makers to address these urgent, and escalating, issues.
The Strategy
As the city’s oldest and largest affordable housing provider, Brightside had the experience to bring solutions to the table.
Yulu developed a strategic communications plan, which incorporated an advocacy and media relations program, along with a stakeholder outreach plan, that would allow Brightside to advocate for those people in need of safe and secure affordable housing.
Positioning Brightside’s Executive Director as a thought leader in the space, Yulu secured media coverage and opinion article placements that has put Brightside on the radar of potential partners and policy-makers.
Through direct stakeholder outreach, Brightside has raised awareness among policy makers of the detrimental impacts knee-jerk policy decisions can have on non-profit housing providers’ ability to increase housing supply.
Yulu also worked with Brightside to organize a YIMBYism event which brought together policy-makers, media, members of the public, and industry bodies. This gave Brightside a platform to demonstrate the importance of collaboration and collective action in addressing Vancouver’s housing crisis.
Results & Impact
Yulu has secured thought leadership articles for Brightside in the Vancouver Sun, Calgary Herald and Vancouver Courier, along with broadcast opportunities on CKNW. Yulu continues to work with Brightside to further amplify its leadership in the affordable housing sector in Vancouver.