Impact real estate
Vancity invests in real estate that creates positive impact, drives economic self-reliance and builds the well-being of our communities.
But we’re much more than an investor; we’re your long-term financial partner. That means management advice, project consulting, plus financial, grant and partnership solutions at every stage of your development.
Why do we offer a deeper level of commitment? Because it’s an integral part of our vision and values. When we help you to develop community-owned real estate assets, we help more of our members and neighbours to rent, buy, sustain and support the place that they call home.
If your organization’s goal is to:
- buy, develop or expand community-focused real estate, including affordable owned or rental housing and community buildings
- increase community access to high performing environmental housing, workspaces or buildings
- build strategic partnerships that take a long term, community-focused view of real estate
…then we want to hear from you.
Here’s how we can help you at every stage of your development:
1) Vision
We work with you on:
- Mission alignment
- Project vision
- Staff and board capacity
- Organizational culture
- Financial resources.
We support you to:
- Connect you with peer support and mentorship
- Provide you with case studies, tools and resources
2) Feasibility
We work with you on:
- Project impact and innovation
- Development options
- Timelines and budgets
- Financial parameters
- Permissions and approvals.
We support you to:
- Think big to maximize project impact
- Provide technical advice and assistance on project planning
- Bring in project partners with financing solutions
3) Business plan
We work with you on:
- Site control and due diligence
- Designs and schematics
- Financial models
- Building your development team (architects, engineers, developers)
We support you to:
- Locate a development site and broker ownership
- Link you to suitable business development and investment opportunities
- Bring in project partners and funding
- Identify future Vancity financing options for construction and take-out.
4) Pre-construction
We work with you on:
- Operations plans (staffing and programming)
- Permit processes
- Construction and take-out financing
- Procurement (materials, employment)
We support you to:
- Source pre-development loans and competitive financing
- Connect you with other potential investors
- Promote the project to our members and their networks
5) Construction
We work with you on:
- Execution
- Capacity building
- Staff and board capacity
- Communications
We support you to:
- Ensure execution is aligned with your mission and vision
- Monitor financing and draws on your lending.
6) Occupancy
We work with you on:
- Property and asset management plans
- Project vision
- Monitoring and reporting on the building program and performance
We support you to:
- Develop workshops and other educational tools and resources
- Connect you to peer support, mentorship and other support networks
- Guide best practices in property and asset management