Key takeaways
What property managers can take from Bernadette’s approach
- Safe housing comes first. Bernadette believes no one can change their circumstances without a safe, secure place to live.
- Do what you do best. HomeSpace focuses only on real estate and partners with 25 agencies that provide support services in its buildings.
- Everyone deserves a beautiful place to live. Well-maintained, clean buildings matter just as much for residents leaving homelessness as for any other tenant.
- Collaborate instead of competing. While many providers bid up hotels to convert, HomeSpace looked for a different opportunity and found a downtown office building.
- Partners and volunteers stretch the budget. With rents 20% to 40% below market, community volunteers and strong vendor relationships help keep properties in good shape.
About the guest
BM
Bernadette Majdell
CEO, HomeSpace
Bernadette leads HomeSpace, a Calgary non-profit that develops, owns, and manages affordable, permanent supportive, and specialized housing. Originally from Nova Scotia, she worked in financial services, at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and in seniors’ care, and served on the Calgary Homeless Foundation board before joining HomeSpace when it was formed.
Episode summary
In this episode
Jared Sarbit talks with Bernadette Majdell, CEO of HomeSpace, a non-profit housing developer and property manager in Calgary. Bernadette worked at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and in seniors’ care, and served on the Calgary Homeless Foundation board before joining HomeSpace.
Bernadette explains how HomeSpace develops and manages 33 properties for some of the city’s most vulnerable people, including permanent supportive housing staffed around the clock. She shares the challenges of managing costs with below-market rents, how the organization plans capital work, and stories that show why safe housing changes lives.
She also talks about collaboration with governments and partners, the growing need for family housing in Calgary, and how HomeSpace converted a downtown office building into 82 homes in about 12 months.
Chapters
- 0:00Episode preview
- 1:27Introducing Bernadette Majdell
- 1:57From CMHC to HomeSpace
- 4:12HomeSpace’s mission
- 5:13Challenges in affordable housing
- 6:33Key considerations for low-income housing
- 8:13Stories of success
- 11:02Maintaining properties on a budget
- 13:53The broken window effect
- 14:28Technology in non-profit property management
- 17:05Upcoming projects
- 19:33Collaboration across sectors
- 23:09How others can help
- 24:06The most pressing issues today
- 28:21Book recommendations
- 30:39Converting an office building to housing
Jump to a chapter (16)
- 0:00Episode preview
- 1:27Introducing Bernadette Majdell
- 1:57From CMHC to HomeSpace
- 4:12HomeSpace’s mission
- 5:13Challenges in affordable housing
- 6:33Key considerations for low-income housing
- 8:13Stories of success
- 11:02Maintaining properties on a budget
- 13:53The broken window effect
- 14:28Technology in non-profit property management
- 17:05Upcoming projects
- 19:33Collaboration across sectors
- 23:09How others can help
- 24:06The most pressing issues today
- 28:21Book recommendations
- 30:39Converting an office building to housing
From the conversation
Transcript excerpts
I firmly believe that nobody can be successful in life if they don’t have safe secure housing.
Bernadette MajdellPlay from 3:00
My key message around the work we do is we don’t know the journey that brought people to us.
Bernadette MajdellPlay from 8:43
Regardless of your journey to HomeSpace you deserve a beautiful place to live.
Bernadette MajdellPlay from 13:15
Managing affordable or supportive housing?
We’ll walk your building with you and send a written cleaning scope and price. Free, no obligation.
Read the conversation
Full episode transcript
Show transcript
Paste the edited transcript here.
FAQ
Affordable housing questions
What is HomeSpace?
HomeSpace is a Calgary non-profit housing developer and property manager. It develops, owns, and operates affordable, permanent supportive, and specialized housing for people who are underserved or exiting homelessness, and partners with 25 agencies that provide support services in its buildings.
What is permanent supportive housing?
Permanent supportive housing is for people exiting homelessness who often face mental health, addiction, or medical challenges. Bernadette Majdell says these HomeSpace buildings are staffed 24/7, with social workers on site providing support.
How did HomeSpace convert an office building into housing?
During the pandemic, many providers competed for hotels to convert. HomeSpace instead bought a downtown Calgary office building at a good price and, with several partners, turned it into 82 homes in about 12 months.
More episodes from the podcast
Adam Ludgate of Cirkuit: How Smart Sensors Are Changing Building Operations
Adam Ludgate of Cirkuit explains how wireless sensors catch water leaks within minutes, why insurers are starting to pay attention, and where older buildings should start.
Marty Connelly: 45 Years of Family, Integrity & Condo Management Leadership
Marty Connelly shares what 45 years of family-run condo management in Calgary taught him about responsiveness, hiring, and keeping a personal touch across 100+ properties.
Maria Bartolotti: Resilience, Leadership & Building One of Calgary’s Leading Condo Management Firms
Maria Bartolotti of New Concept Management on nearly leaving the industry, educating condo boards, preventing burnout, and recruiting Alberta’s next condo managers.