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CAF Aviators needing homes sent to Habitat for Humanity.

The challenge with designing a housing solution to meet the needs of CAF is to build one that protects CAF members from loss in bad times, cannot be accused of subsidizing profiteering in boom times, always ensures affordable housing is available, and allows members to build equity the same way as most Canadians with geographically stable jobs.

In many (if not most) parts of Canada, the cost of rent is very near or equal to the payments of a mortgage. So if you can’t afford to buy then you are just building equity for someone else (and probably without surplus capacity to savings to make up the difference).
 
McG said:
The challenge with designing a housing solution to meet the needs of CAF is to build one that protects CAF members from loss in bad times, cannot be accused of subsidizing profiteering in boom times, always ensures affordable housing is available, and allows members to build equity the same way as most Canadians with geographically stable jobs.

In many (if not most) parts of Canada, the cost of rent is very near or equal to the payments of a mortgage. So if you can’t afford to buy then you are just building equity for someone else (and probably without surplus capacity to savings to make up the difference).
Click to expand...
Well most economists say you shouldn't spend more then 30% of your income on housing, so let's cap it there. I am not suggesting we take 30% of a members monthly salary if they live in base housing, but I think its a fair, scientific starting point.
 
McG said:
The challenge with designing a housing solution to meet the needs of CAF is to build one that protects CAF members from loss in bad times, cannot be accused of subsidizing profiteering in boom times, always ensures affordable housing is available, and allows members to build equity the same way as most Canadians with geographically stable jobs.

In many (if not most) parts of Canada, the cost of rent is very near or equal to the payments of a mortgage. So if you can’t afford to buy then you are just building equity for someone else (and probably without surplus capacity to savings to make up the difference).
Click to expand...

My suggestion would be a "housing cooperative" exclusive to the military. The closest example that I've seen (and lived in many years ago) was Self Help Housing at Uplands. However, as good a housing solution as it was four decades ago for me, it had limitations inherent in its management structure, namely that it was an NPF operation and thus eventually subject to the whims of military leadership.

A "co-op" could have a number of benefits for military housing. As it wouldn't be a government owned and operated agency, it would not be restricted to determining rental charges on "fair market value" but on share of operating costs. If the preferred profile was to be one of ownership, it could be so structured and limitations would likely be made to prevent "profiteering".
 
The CAF (or more accurately, the Canadian gov't) was stupid to sell off most of (if not all) the off base housing in the early '70s. My family was in Moncton when this was happening and had to move out of our PMQ (that was being sold) and move into a much smaller house in the center of the city. We wound up being transferred to Cold Lake and having to sell it after only being in it for several months.
 
Renting is shitty because you're just giving someone else your money. A friend and I did some calculations for his 10 or 12 years of staying in a PMQ and he basically gave the CAF $100,000 to live in mediocre housing with trash levels of support from CFHA and nothing to show for now that he wants a house.

The CAF should figure out some kind of Canex plan for people needing housing or find a way to return portions or PMQ rent to members (to help them with down payments). Put a cap on how long someone can stay in a PMQ and get the benefits.

I also don't think it's all that fair when LCols or CWOs are living in PMQs and there's waiting lists for troops with young families.
 
Well, the story seems to have died and the general public did not seem to care. It’s more interesting to talk about how long the power will be out in Ottawa.
 
kev994 said:
Well, the story seems to have died and the general public did not seem to care. It’s more interesting to talk about how long the power will be out in Ottawa.
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Raise your hand if you're surprised.

I've said this before, but Joe Public would say "they have jobs that lead to a pension". We definitely need to take care of our people better but if we think that the Canadian public really cares, we're mistaken.
 
kev994 said:
Well, the story seems to have died and the general public did not seem to care. It’s more interesting to talk about how long the power will be out in Ottawa.
Click to expand...
General public wouldn’t care if the CF disappeared completely. They are protected here in fortress North America and doing nothing on the world stage except for convening is fine by them.

Canada has all the worlds natural resources and they are essentially up for grabs. I wouldn’t put it past the US to make the first claim before the end of the century.
 
dimsum said:
Raise your hand if you're surprised.

I've said this before, but Joe Public would say "they have jobs that lead to a pension". We definitely need to take care of our people better but if we think that the Canadian public really cares, we're mistaken.
Click to expand...

I dunno....

These days I find myself the only person with a military background immersed in a sea of civvies and, while not chest thumping patriots, most of the people I come across are genuinely proud of their military, and are quick to share stories about family members/ friends who've served if they happen to find out that I'm a veteran.

The right kind of advocacy <cough> the Legion <cough> might be able to get some leverage with a vote hungry government.
 
daftandbarmy said:
This might be out of date but it shows quite a few units available in the Comox area:

Military housing in Comox​


Military housing in Comox - Canada.ca

View information about military housing in Comox, including types of housing, rent, square footage, etc.
www.canada.ca www.canada.ca
Click to expand...
There are a good number of housing options - all full with a waiting list.
 
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