There are 11 issues highlighted in the 2023 Community Foundation of North Okanagan害羞草研究所檚 (CFNO) Vital Signs report.

Tops among them 害羞草研究所� and featured prominently in the centre spread of the 24-page glossy report 害羞草研究所� is housing.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 the biggest story,害羞草研究所� said CFNO board director Annette Sharkey, whose day job is executive director of the Social Planning Council of North Okanagan. 害羞草研究所淚f you害羞草研究所檙e housing is not stable, it害羞草研究所檚 going to impact everything in your world.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e got families staying in hotels now. That害羞草研究所檚 something we didn害羞草研究所檛 see even five years ago.害羞草研究所�

The report was officially released at CFNO害羞草研究所檚 annual community meeting Tuesday, Nov. 28, before about 100 guests at the Prestige Inn.

Vital Signs is a community check-up conducted by community foundations across Canada. The report measures the vitality of communities and identifies significant trends in a range of areas critical to quality of life.

Through the North Okanagan report, one learns the average median home price in 2023 is $749,000. That害羞草研究所檚 risen from $380,000 in 2017, and $420,000 in 2019.

Multi-family housing is now trending as there were 203 such starts in Vernon in 2022, nearly doubling the single-family housing starts (116).

The rental vacancy rate is 0.9 per cent.

The report also shows a smattering of responses from a CFNO community survey.

Asked if there is affordable housing for people of all income levels in the community, 84.6 per cent of respondents disagreed/strongly disagreed, and nearly 57 per cent disagreed/strongly disagreed that the community takes appropriate action to decrease homelessness.

The latest Vernon homeless count showed 279 people living without a roof, up from 224 in the 2021 count.

害羞草研究所淗ousing is the biggest challenge for communities right now,害羞草研究所� said Sharkey. 害羞草研究所淓ven the middle income is struggling with housing right now. It害羞草研究所檚 not just people at the bottom.害羞草研究所�

Vital Signs is a cornerstone document for CFNO, helping the organization understand trends and changes in the region. It also helps magnify the region害羞草研究所檚 assets and identify the challenges.

害羞草研究所淪takeholders that rely on Vital Signs include local governments, charities and non-profits, other community groups, and residents,害羞草研究所� said CFNO executive director Leanne Hammond.

The 11 issue areas highlighted in the report are housing, arts and culture, belonging and participation, environment, transportation, health and wellness, income gap, work and economy, cultural diversity, learning and safety.

CFNO is planning to hold what it calls Vital Conversations on the issues in 2024.

Board chairperson Dominik Dlouhy called the report a 害羞草研究所渃all to action.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淪hare the report with your friends, colleagues, neighbours, or an elected/public official at any level,害羞草研究所� said Dlouhy. 害羞草研究所淟earn about the many organizations working to improve our community, and how you can get involved, too.害羞草研究所�

The 2023 Community Foundation North Okanagan Vital Signs report 害羞草研究所� the first since 2020 害羞草研究所� will be available to read online at .