Discussions

Two years ago I tried in vain to float the idea of small housing units being constructed to address the IMMEDIATE need for affordable housing Brandon. We looked at the Pocket Suites in Winnipeg, Container Housing around the world, and the tiny houses concept by Tumbleweed Housing out of the US ... ALL of it in VAIN.  
 
We couldn't get our service providers, nor our leadership in town to see the need, much less to take the chance to think outside the box when it comes to housing ... they were (and I fear remain) convinced that the trickle down effect will address our housing crisis ... So far it hasn't done much other then continue to raise housing costs and prices.  
 
Today on CBC and in the Free Press there are two stories on the container house built by a couple of families in Winkler that show us what is indeed possible when you're willing to take a chance ... these units are small, but they are safe, secure, affordable, and easy to create - our proposal was to set up a programme that assembled this type of unit through a training programme that taught usable trades like carpentry, electrician, and plumbing while creating much needed housing for Brandon ...  
 
Two years later - the housing crisis continues ... and we're still waiting for MORE affordable housing solutions ... Maybe this will inspire someone in leadership in Brandon to revisit our preliminary report and consider it again ... one can always hope:  
 
CBC story:  
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2010/04/06/mb-shipping-container-home-manitoba.html  
 
Free Press story:  
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/shipping-container-makes-all-season-suite-89977012.html  
 
and the piece of the workbook on housing ideas for Brandon:  
 
http://www.brandonhomelessness.ca/printdocument.aspx?doc_id=113