New Westminster
How New Hope is Transforming Lives One Building at a Time
In the fight for affordable housing, size isn’t everything—impact is. Few organizations demonstrate that better than New Hope Community Services. Despite being one of the smallest non-profits to acquire a property through the Rental Protection Fund, New Hope is making an outsized difference.
Established in 2004, New Hope provides community connections and affordable housing to refugee families who have recently arrived, creating a stable foundation as they adjust to life in Canada. Their mission revolves around fostering a supportive environment that facilitates integration and independence through comprehensive community support and tenant education. They prioritize families with children, addressing their unique needs and challenges to ensure they thrive in their new home.
With rents averaging 39% below local market rates, New Hope’s acquisition protects affordable rentals in New Westminster, close to schools, transit, grocery stores, and Moody Park. Securing this 11-unit building ensures that existing tenants can stay in their homes while opening doors for newly arrived refugees.
For three refugee families, the move-in process has already begun. But New Hope’s work doesn’t stop at providing shelter. The organization is reconfiguring units to accommodate larger families, turning one-bedroom apartments into two-bedroom suites. They’re renovating common areas to create warm, welcoming spaces where residents can share meals, access language tutoring, and build community.
New Hope has long dreamed of securing additional affordable housing for newcomer refugee families, and with the support of the Rental Protection Fund, this dream is now a reality," said Christina Lui, Executive Director of New Hope. "Refugee families are a marginalized and underserved population in the housing sector who will benefit immensely from the provision of homes dedicated to their settlement and integration into Canadian life. Without housing, newcomer refugees move from instability to instability. Once stable affordable housing is secured, they can begin to rebuild their lives anew while contributing their unique skills and gifts to the community at large.”
This acquisition builds on New Hopes current work at their 13-unit affordable housing property in Surrey, where the organization has already supported over 65 families, fostering a sense of community and helping refugee families build new lives in Canada. In a housing market where affordability is disappearing, this acquisition is a lifeline—a testament to how even a single building can change the trajectory of hundreds of lives.
“Whether it's 11 homes or 111 homes, we know that every property protected has the power to transform lives and that thoughtful investments from the Rental Protection Fund create a legacy of stability that strengthens entire communities for generations to come.” said Katie Maslechko, CEO of the Rental Protection Fund. “New Hope proves that profound and enduring impact is not defined by scale - and by preserving affordability while advancing their mission, they are building a foundation for current and future residents to thrive in their community. It's not just about buildings, but about building futures full of hope, resilience and opportunity.”
In a world where the housing crisis often feels too big to solve, New Hope is a reminder that organizations of every size can make a profound difference—one family, one building, and one future at a time.
