Index of Articles and other Media Coverage about Homes For Living
The following is an index of articles about Homes For Living, an organization that first appeared during the lead up to the BC general local government election of 2022, during which it served as a Third Party Sponsor that saw the majorities of the candidates it endorsed get elected on Saanich, Victoria and Oak Bay Councils.
Homes For Living (HFL) which focuses on local governments on southern Vancouver island, and also on the Province of BC, advances a development agenda to government, and has served as a stakeholder to the Province of British Columbia in developing housing policies e.g. forced housing targets for municipalities.
Its parallels to the registered lobbying organization the Urban Development Institute (UDI) from its inception, deserve close scrutiny. Like the UDI, it has advocated to government that municipalities be penalized if they don’t build as fast as their primarily housing supply/market-based agenda demands.
HFL does not register lobbying activity, but advances a development-based agenda to MLAs, and its members have spoken in favour of development and for policies that increase development and upzoning at a number of public hearings to various municipalities on Southern Vancouver Island. Its members have claimed that it doesn’t need to register lobbying activity, because its members are not paid.
““Saanich, Oak Bay and Victoria need about four times as much [housing built] over the next five years as the NDP targets,” said Robert Berry, a volunteer with Homes For Living.””
Developers and advocates weigh in on B.C.’s housing targets
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CRD Watch articles regarding HFL:
2 Sentence Constitution of the Homes For Living Foundation removes any doubt that Homes For Living (HFL) is a purpose-built pressure group designed to influence municipal politicians. – CRD Watch Homepage
Over 93% of the donors to the 3rd Party Election Advertising Sponsor Homes For Living during the 2022 Local Government Election, donated anonymously. Serious questions need to be raised with the Province over the lack of transparency surrounding local government election campaign financing. – CRD Watch Homepage
Homes For Living (HFL) and other ‘YIMBY’-oriented groups’ Lobbying Letter to Premier Eby and Housing Minister Kahlon, Mirrors the UDI’s lobbying efforts, raising important questions about the relationship between the UDI and HFL, as they both press the Province for a practically identical development agenda, while simultaneously being treated as stakeholders by it. – CRD Watch Homepage
The Usual Suspects: Big Business including aligned groups such as The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, the UDI lobby, and YIMBY pressure group Homes For Living, are pushing Bill M216 in British Columbia, which would override municipal sovereignty and the public voice, if passed. – CRD Watch Homepage
Too much heat: The UDI pulls down its list of backroom committees that meet with the Government of British Columbia and Local Governments – CRD Watch Homepage
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External articles and resources regarding HFL:
See also: ‘The province needs to step in’: Island housing advocates demand change – Tofino-Ucluelet Westerly News (Accessed: July 12, 2025)
Archived version: ‘The province needs to step in’: Island housing advocates demand change – Tofino-Ucluelet Westerly News
https://www.vicnews.com/news/the-demise-of-single-family-starter-homes-municipalities-have-to-have-their-hands-forced-114488 May 15, 2023 (Accessed: July 12, 2025)
Archived version from December 6, 2024: The demise of single-family starter homes: ‘Municipalities have to have their hands forced’ – Greater Victoria News
Developers and advocates weigh in on B.C.’s housing targets
By Brendan Strain
Published: September 27, 2023 at 9:25PM EDT
Developers and advocates weigh in on B.C.’s housing targets Archived version dated to July 12, 2025
B.C.’s new housing-related bills ‘transformational’ but changes will take time, advocate cautions | CBC News
B.C.’s new housing-related bills ‘transformational’ but changes will take time, advocate cautions | CBC News Archived version March 16, 2025
Excerpt from article above:
“As the B.C. government has introduced a new set of bills in an attempt to increase housing supply amid an affordability crisis, one housing advocate cautions the changes will take time.
“We do have to keep in mind that these are long-term fixes,” said Leo Spalteholz with the housing advocacy group Homes for Living, describing the changes as a “transformational” shift in housing policy.
“I think we’ll see good positive results on affordability in about five years.”
After cracking down on short-term rentals, B.C. introduced legislation that takes aim at single-family zoning, reforms the way municipalities collect fees from developers, and sets minimum requirements for building heights and densities that municipalities must allow.
“All of it is co-ordinated and it works well together,” said B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon on Nov. 8.”
Here’s How Unaffordable Victoria Really Is – Capital Daily (Mentions Spalteholz)
Here’s How Unaffordable Victoria Really Is – Capital Daily March 16, 2025 Archived version.
Analysis: BC housing at the mercy of inter-provincial migration | Canadian Mortgage Professional (Spalteholz mentioned)
Analysis: BC housing at the mercy of inter-provincial migration | Canadian Mortgage Professional Archived version Sept 7, 2024
Spalteholz mentioned: Vancouver and Victoria rents jump 20% in 6 months as thousands move to B.C. | CBC News
Archived version July 4, 2025: Vancouver and Victoria rents jump 20% in 6 months as thousands move to B.C. | CBC News
Saanich putting developments ‘through the wringer’ only adds to crisis: expert – Greater Victoria News Spalteholz mentioned.
Victoria council criticized as family housing reduced in project near downtown – Greater Victoria News HFL mentioned.
Political opposition in B.C. tears down housing models – Greater Victoria News
“The measures and models behind have also enjoyed support from a range of voices in the housing sector, including Leo Spalteholz, an independent real estate analyst and volunteer at Homes for Living.
“Of the suite of reforms passed this fall, removing barriers to transit-oriented development has the potential to deliver the most new housing in the shortest timeframe in B.C. In a time of rising construction costs, de-risking approvals and reducing costs for housing is crucial to address the shortage of homes,” he said.
Spalteholz also addressed concerns about upzoning raising land values.
“If making zoning more permissive raises land value, that’s just proof that the zoning was too restrictive to start with,” he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.”
Greater Victoria’s living wage surpasses $25/hour in 2023 – Greater Victoria News
“Phillip MacKellar of Homes for Living said B.C. legalizing multi-unit homes in areas zoned only for single-family homes – the most expensive housing type – will help reduce costs.”
Victoria says feds owe the city $28M for streamlining housing process – Greater Victoria News
Coming Victoria motion looks to reverse missing middle timeline delays – Greater Victoria News
“As the missing middle timeline changes almost by the week, Housing Minister David Eby on Monday said he was “heartbroken” to see the process “going off the rails.”
“It shouldn’t be that you can build a new single-family home with no oversight from city council, but if you want to build three townhomes or you want to put six units into your home, you have to go through a lengthy, multi-year process,” Eby said, alluding to the city’s current zoning.
The minister and Leo Spalteholz, a volunteer with Homes for Living, both say the missing middle program is a cautious approach, not a contentious one.”
Limited debate on transformative B.C. housing bills: critics – Victoria Times Colonist Robert Berry mentioned. Vancouver Sun Nov 28, 2023 4:00 PM
Archived version July 19, 2024: Limited debate on transformative B.C. housing bills: critics – Victoria Times Colonist
The demise of single-family starter homes: Residents driven out of Greater Victoria for decades – Greater Victoria News
“So Berry, along with other members of Homes for Living, started attending public hearings and other municipal meetings to give a voice to those who are vulnerable to the housing crisis by advocating for all types of housing – including multi-unit, mixed-use and non-profit builds.
“We have a serious housing shortage,” Berry said, and if something isn’t done to address it, single-family homes will only increasingly become more unaffordable for most.”
Do B.C.’s new housing targets keep pace with population growth? | Vancouver Sun
“The B.C. NDP took the “politically convenient route” of setting moderate housing targets that don’t go far enough in addressing the affordability crisis, said Robert Berry of the Victoria-based pro density group Homes for Living.”
Do BC’s new housing targets keep pace with population growth? – Victoria Times Colonist
Restrictions crushing hopes for more multi-unit housing – Victoria Times Colonist Berry mentioned.
https://pollyhcrisis.substack.com/p/homes-for-living-survey-from-2022
“Rule of thumb: conviction follows self-interest.”
A new incentive to encourage BC homeowners to build more secondary suites… will it work? We’ll ask a local housing advocate | CBC.ca
More than Missing Middle needed to address housing affordability in Victoria – Capital Daily Mentions HFL member Luna
Jack Knox: Endorsements can offer path to follow, or avoid – Victoria Times Colonist
“Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps has released a list of the city council candidates she’s supporting in the Oct. 15 vote.
It’s a rare move for a sitting mayor, but one that Helps, who isn’t running for re-election, felt free to make.
It was no accident that her list mirrored that of the Homes For Living group: Marianne Alto for mayor, and Dave Thompson, Jeremy Caradonna, Matt Dell, Tony Yacowar, Susan Kim, Khadoni Pitt Chambers, Anna King and Krista Loughton for council. “I thought about all the ways I could approach this question, and kept coming back to housing,” Helps blogged.”
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Note: After leaving office, Helps was hired as the Strategic Advisor of Housing Supply to NDP Premier Eby.
LETTER: Victoria OCP puts needs of developers ahead of citizens – Greater Victoria News
New project will bring co-living housing model to Victoria – Victoria Times Colonist Mentions HFL member Jeremy Schmidt
Victoria to look at linking rent increases to property taxes – Victoria Times Colonist Also mentions Jeremy Schmidt
For Victoria, a mostly new council, but six of nine endorsed by departing mayor – Victoria Times Colonist
“All of the new councillors were endorsed by either Helps, Residents for a Better Victoria — which pushed for more transparent government — or Homes For Living, which pushes housing affordability.”
The TC (paying member media partner and sponsor of the UDI development/real estate lobby and dependent on advertising revenue from those sectors) neglected to mention that HFL primarily advances a market-based unaffordable supply increase of housing. It also neglected to mention that the majority of the officials that were elected in Victoria in the 2022 election. It also neglected to mention that the same thing happened in Saanich and in Oak bay.
https://web.archive.org/web/20250000000000*/https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/quadra-mckenzie-plan-moves-forward-after-raucous-meeting-10916847
“Sam Holland, chair of Better Transit YYJ, who also spoke in favour of the plan, said the public feedback at council was “utterly poisoned” by misinformation and lies. “
LETTER: Saanich residents shouldn’t be attacked for expressing their views – Saanich News
Saanich wants B.C. to look beyond U.S. in quest for affordable elevators – Peninsula News Review
Excerpt from above article: “Sam Holland, a director of Homes for Living, a local housing advocacy group, echoed Bonaroff’s [sic] statement.”
Public meetings not true gauge of opinion – Victoria Times Colonist
Archived version: Public meetings not true gauge of opinion – Victoria Times Colonist
“A commentary by the vice-president of the non-profit Homes for Living.“
Above link is of an Op ed. to the TC by HFL Vice President Jack Sandor. The previous year, I referred to Sandor in the letter below:
LETTER: Saanich should rethink elimination of open forum – Saanich News
“After I had pointed this out at open forum that evening; during public input at the 27:33 time point, a member of the registered third-party electoral organization Homes For Living, called in and spoke in favour of eliminating open forum. This was the first and only member of the public on record to have spoken in favour of eliminating open forum, and well after council had already voted to eliminate it.”
“On Oct. 28, the majority of council voted to remove the statement of address requirement during public input, thus allowing non-residents (including lobbyists) to go undetected during input.”
Homes For Living – About Us
Archive.org snapshot from March 25 2025: Homes For Living – About Us
2022 General Local Elections “Homes For Living” listed as a Third Party Sponsor.
See also: Index of documentation covering the UVic Real Estate Club and development industry influence over it. – CRD Watch Homepage
Feb 2025 Dialogue with Jack Sandor of Homes for Living provides a fascinating window onto Homes for Living and described lobbying activities to MLAs. No Entry for the organization appears when searched on on the BC Lobbyists Registry. – CRD Watch Homepage
CRD Watch Homepage 