Research Reports

2022 - 2023

FNHPA Research- Resource Requirements for the Effective Management of First Nations On-Reserve Housing-Report
The report highlights the persistent housing challenges facing First Nations communities, including inadequate resources, rising construction costs, staffing shortages, and increasing demands on housing departments. It emphasizes that housing professionals are overburdened and experiencing burnout while managing immediate crises that leave little time for long-term planning and strategic development. The report calls for flexible and transparent funding, improved governance, holistic wellness strategies, and greater investment in staffing, training, certification, and succession planning. As a preliminary foundation for future action, it also identifies FNHPA as an important partner in strengthening housing management through national standards, professional development, and operational tools.

2023 - 2024

FNHPA Research- Standards for Job Description and Compensation (Salary Grids) Development for First Nations On-Reserve Housing- Preliminary Review
This report builds off the First Nations Housing Professionals Association’s (FNHPA) preliminary report, “Resource Requirements for the Effective Management of First Nations On-Reserve Housing”. This report conducted research into the current state of First Nations on-reserve housing programs and highlighted some of the most critical issues being faced on a national scale within these communities. The paper put forward 22 recommendations focused around different topics, including funding, education and training, national standard development, planning and strategy, community wellness, and awareness building. As part of next steps, the FNHPA committed to doing more research and having more conversations with on-reserve program participants to inform specific approaches to improving on reserve housing.

2025 - 2026

FNHPA Research- Recruitment & Retention Strategy Final Report 
This report presents the findings of a national study conducted for the First Nations Housing Professionals Association (FNHPA) to inform the development of a recruitment and retention strategy for housing staff across First Nations communities in Canada. Drawing on survey responses from 39 participants and 11 in depth interviews across diverse regions, community sizes, and contexts, the study provides a grounded, experience-based perspective on workforce realities and identifies targeted, actionable recommendations to strengthen housing workforce capacity. All analysis followed OCAP® principles to ensure ethical data handling and community ownership.

FNHPA-Building Strategic Planning Capacity in on-reserve First Nation Housing 
This research report reviews existing and promising practices in housing strategies, policies and accountability, examines those that have shown effective and successful outcomes and proposes recommendations for using existing resources and identifying new opportunities to develop strategic planning specifically for First Nations Housing staff.