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“The defining moment, it was due to the fact that the housing crisis for one thing, cause I mean we’re at one percent [vacancy] and still they’re not looking at making affordable housing,” says Hinch, who is 52.
After working for Metro Regional Housing Authority for the past 11 years, Hinch knows the community isn’t always consulted on those new developments. "All members of the community are to be engaged, not just a few,” she says. “They say that they have the meetings, but nobody knows about the meetings, nobody knows they’re happening.”
One of her main priorities if elected would be increasing the affordable housing stock.
“I believe that we can do better as a city, we can do better, all three levels of government can do better when it comes to affordable housing. I believe it can be built,” she says. “And not ten years from now, it can be built now.”
Hinch also says the environment, transportation and economic equality are among her priorities. Being a small business owner herself by running Mama D’s Cheesecakes out of her Creighton Street home, Hinch says she wants more funding for small businesses that are struggling.
“This summer they’ve had Taking Blk Gottingen Street, so that was fine and all but I think we need to do more. I think we need tangible locations for some of these businesses that have been working their tails off for years and are still working out of their homes,” she says.
If elected, Hinch hopes to bring a new voice to the council chambers, one that has been underrepresented in the past.
“There’s five women of colour that are running this year, and I’m so happy, so proud that we’re stepping up, more and more are getting involved,” he says. “Right now, there’s never been a woman of colour on council, and that needs to change. And it needs to change this round.”
