As CEO of Entre Nous Femmes Housing Society, I meet women every week who are working, caring for families, contributing to their communities, and still struggling to secure stable housing.

Some are single mothers balancing jobs and childcare. Some are seniors living on fixed incomes after a lifetime of work. Some are newcomers rebuilding their lives in a new country.

Many are doing everything society asks of them and still cannot find housing they can afford. What they are seeking is not luxury. It is stability.

At Entre Nous Femmes Housing Society, we have seen this demand grow dramatically. Over my four years with the organization, we’ve grown from a single project to more than 500 new affordable homes under construction, with over 1,000 more in development across Metro Vancouver. Even at this scale, however, the need continues to far outpace supply.

Recent shifts in affordable housing funding in British Columbia have heightened uncertainty across the sector. Much-needed affordable housing projects may be cancelled, delayed, or scaled back, or forced to raise rental rates to make them viable. The possibility to provide deeply affordable housing is no longer an option as the government pulls out of supporting those vulnerable in our communities. For families waiting for housing, that uncertainty translates into prolonged instability and fewer options.

Housing is often framed as an economic issue. In reality, it is also a human issue and a gender equity issue.

The hidden reality behind housing insecurity

Housing instability is about far more than rent prices. It affects safety, physical and mental health, children’s development, employment stability, and the ability to plan for the future. Without a secure place to live, individuals and families are forced into short-term survival decisions rather than long-term progress.

Women experience these pressures differently and often more intensely. They are more likely to be primary caregivers for children or aging relatives. They are more likely to work in lower-paid or part-time roles due to caregiving responsibilities. Interruptions to employment can reduce lifetime earnings and savings, making it harder to absorb rising housing costs.

Single mothers face particularly acute pressure. When housing consumes a disproportionate share of income, there is little room for unexpected expenses. A single setback can trigger a cascade of instability.

Research consistently shows that women-led households are disproportionately represented among those in core housing need, reflecting broader structural inequities in income and opportunity.

Why housing is a gender equity issue

Gender equity conversations often focus on representation, leadership, and workplace participation. These areas matter. But equity also depends on stability and security.

Without stable housing, it is difficult to maintain employment, pursue education, leave unsafe relationships, or ensure children’s well-being. Progress in every other domain becomes fragile.

Women, particularly those from equity-deserving groups such as Indigenous and racialized communities, newcomers, seniors, and people with disabilities, face intersecting barriers that compound housing vulnerability.

Housing systems and policies do not always account for these realities. Units may not accommodate family sizes, accessibility needs, or proximity to essential services like schools, transit, and childcare. Safety considerations, especially important for women, can also be overlooked. Gender equity is not only about opportunity. It is about having a stable foundation from which opportunities can be pursued.

The impact of stable housing

When women and families have stable housing, the effects extend far beyond individual households. Parents are better able to maintain employment and pursue education or training. Children benefit from continuity in schooling, friendships, and healthcare. Stress levels decrease, improving physical and mental health outcomes. Families can plan for the future rather than respond to constant crises.

One mother we recently housed had been living in a one-bedroom basement suite with her two children for years, despite working multiple jobs. Because her work was unionized and shift-based, she needed to remain close to Lions Gate Hospital and could not relocate farther away in search of cheaper rent. All of her family supports and her children’s school were in North Vancouver, yet suitable housing remained out of reach.

When her family moved into a three-bedroom home, it was the first time her children had their own bedrooms. She told us, “This is something I only ever dreamed about.” Her son immediately began planning how he would help care for the yard and community garden, while her daughter was thrilled to live across the street from her best friend. Even small details, like no longer arguing over bathroom time in the morning, brought a sense of relief and normalcy.

For this family, stable housing did not just provide shelter. It enabled employment stability, preserved community connections, and gave the children a chance to grow up in a secure environment.

Communities benefit as well. Stable housing supports economic participation, reduces demand on emergency services, and fosters social cohesion. Affordable housing is not simply shelter. It is infrastructure for human potential.

Organizations like Entre Nous Femmes Housing Society exist because non-profit housing can deliver long-term affordability combined with community and belonging. Our work is rooted in the understanding that housing stability enables individuals and families to thrive socially, economically, and personally.

Navigating funding uncertainty

Affordable housing projects are complex undertakings that require coordination across government programs, financing partners, municipalities, and community organizations.

When funding landscapes shift, projects may face delays or need to adapt. This creates uncertainty not only for housing providers but for the people who are counting on those homes.

The recent cancellation of the BC Housing Community Housing Fund is already creating setbacks, impacting the sector’s ability to provide deeply and timely affordable housing in the province. For Entre Nous Femmes Housing Society, it directly impacts our Surrey plans to deliver homes for women, families, seniors and people with disabilities. This is difficult to share because we know what those homes would have meant: shorter waitlists, fewer families in precarious housing and more people able to rebuild stability.

This is a serious loss and it will hurt families. But it does not change the need and it does not change our responsibility to respond.

In moments like this, we have to be honest about what has been lost, while also widening the lens on what’s possible. Public investment remains essential, but sustaining affordability will increasingly require diverse approaches, new partnerships, social finance tools and community-driven initiatives that can help keep projects moving forward.

We are currently exploring innovative financing approaches, including the launch of a Community Bond - a social finance tool that allows everyday people to align capital with social purpose by investing directly in meaningful community outcomes, such as the creation and preservation of affordable housing.

We invite families, community members, social impact investors, foundations, philanthropists, and corporate citizens to step in to provide the working capital needed. If we want to deliver more affordable housing in our communities, we need to do this together.

A community-based approach to housing solutions

Non-profit housing plays a critical role alongside government and private sector efforts. Each sector contributes differently, and meaningful progress requires collaboration across all of them.

Entre Nous Femmes Housing Society was founded over four decades ago by women seeking solutions for families like their own. Today, that legacy continues in our focus on community, belonging, and long-term stability for residents.

Non-profit housing providers are uniquely positioned to prioritize needs that the market often overlooks, including family-sized units, accessible housing, and supportive environments for people facing systemic barriers. Housing is not only a physical structure. It is the foundation of a community.

Reflection on International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is both a celebration of progress and a reminder of the work that remains unfinished. Housing stability rarely takes center stage in conversations about gender equity, yet it underpins safety, independence, and opportunity for millions of women.

Across British Columbia, women continue to demonstrate resilience as they navigate rising costs and limited housing options while supporting families and communities. Recognizing that resilience should not mean accepting instability as inevitable. If we are serious about gender equity, housing must be part of the conversation.

Everyone deserves a place where they feel secure enough to build a life. When women and families have stable housing, children grow up with greater opportunity, communities become stronger, and society benefits as a whole. Creating that stability requires sustained commitment, innovative solutions, and a shared recognition that housing is foundational to equity.

- Lilian Chau