New Hope Community Services Society is one of the smallest non-profits who have acquired through the Fund to date. Despite their size, the group fills a critical gap for marginalized and underserved refugee families with children
In the fight for affordable housing, size isn’t everything—impact is. And few organizations embody this truth as powerfully as 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 impact on the lives of refugee families with children.
With rents averaging 39% below market rates, New Hope’s acquisition ensures that families won’t have to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table. And because the building sits close to schools, transit, grocery stores, and Moody Park, it offers the essentials of a thriving, connected life—something every family deserves.
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 the Fund’s support, New Hope recently acquired an 11-unit building in New Westminster, ensuring that existing tenants could 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," says Christina Lui, Executive Director of New Hope Community Services Society. "Without stable housing, refugee families move from instability to instability. But when we secure an affordable home for them, we’re not just giving them a place to live—we’re giving them the foundation to rebuild their lives.”
This acquisition builds on New Hopes current work as the owner and operator of a 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 dozens of lives.
The scale of New Hope’s work may be small, but the impact is anything but.
"Whether it's 11 homes or 111 homes, we know that every property protected has the power to transform lives," says Katie Maslechko, CEO of the Rental Protection Fund. "New Hope proves that real impact isn’t measured by size, but by the stability and opportunity we create. By preserving affordability while advancing their mission, they are ensuring that families don’t just survive, but truly thrive."
In a world where the housing crisis often feels too big to solve, New Hope is a reminder that even the smallest organizations can make a profound difference—one family, one building, and one future at a time.