Canadian Housing and Renewal Association

The Canadian Housing and Renewal Association (CHRA) is a national non-profit association in Canada that represents those working in and/or concerned with the state of affordable housing and homelessness in Canada.

CHRA's main objectives include: - keeping homes affordable - ending homelessness - renewing communities - creating a sustainable housing profession

CHRA aims to achieve these goals through all of its activities; including federal-level advocacy and connecting members through an annual congress, information and idea- and best practices-sharing as well as online and in-person learning opportunities.

History

In the mid-sixties, a group of concerned urban renewal professionals in Toronto became members of the Upper New York State Chapter of the National Association of Housing Renewal Officials (NAHRO). From this nucleus in 1967 the Canadian Association of Housing & Renewal Officials (CAHRO) was formed.

The original members of CAHRO were concerned with urban renewal; however, this changed with the development of a national membership and the introduction of the Neighbourhood Improvement Program (NIP). As stated in the CAHRO constitution at the time, the objectives of the association were:

"to promote understanding of housing, community renewal, housing development, programs and policies, and rehabilitation and property standards affecting the urban environment at the municipal level, and to promote this understanding through dissemination of information on legislation and techniques."