The Kasho Got’ine Housing Society (KGHS), the first Indigenous-led housing society in the Northwest Territories, set up a housing forum and follow-up work to develop action plans for housing development that meet the needs of the community. Emphasis is placed on a safe home for women and children.
Housing and support needs are so great in Fort Good Hope that it is often difficult to make a final decision on community priorities. This Indigenous community of around 500 to 600 people is accessible only by air, boat, or a winter-only road, making housing development difficult.
The KGHS Society was created in response to the housing shortage. To follow up on the first consultations held since the organization’s inception, and to work towards more community housing, the organization put together a housing forum to validate priorities with community members, receive feedback, inform, and develop a realistic plan for the coming years. A detailed three-year work plan will be drawn up to guide future actions.
One of the main outcomes of this housing forum is to create a tangible action plan for future housing projects in the community. Tenants are actively involved in the execution of this project and some community members will continue to work on the plan in committees after the forum.
A State of Housing Report and a revised Strategic Plan will be published. These documents will be invaluable to communities that are still in the planning stages of their own housing programs.