PENTICTON – People experiencing homelessness in Penticton will soon have access to new supportive housing with the Province and the City of Penticton entering into a partnership to provide up to 52 units of modular housing.

The modular units will provide urgent housing and support services for those who need it most. The units and will have 24/7 staffing, administered through a non-profit housing partner, and will include services to help residents stabilize and rebuild their lives.

“There are too many people in British Columbia who are struggling to get by and don’t have a safe and secure place to go,” said Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “These first 1000 units of modular housing demonstrate our government’s commitment to act quickly and make sure people not only have a place to call home, but that they are receiving the appropriate support they need to improve their daily lives.”

Penticton is the eighth B.C. municipality to use the Province’s new modular housing program to begin to address homelessness. More than 1,000 units are now confirmed in communities throughout British Columbia. This drives the program past the halfway mark of the Province’s goal to build 2,000 modular homes over two years across B.C. by working in partnership with interested communities.

“We’ve been working hard to help facilitate many of the non-profits along with the Province to address homelessness and housing affordability,” said Andrew Jakubeit, mayor of Penticton. “We are very thankful for the Province to commit to helping our community. Housing is the main foundation for a person’s physical well-being, mental health, and opportunity to regain dignity and become a productive contributor to a community.”

The B.C. government is working closely with the city to identify a site for the development and is providing approximately $8 million for this modular-housing project.

Quick Facts:

• The B.C. government is investing $291 million to build 2,000 modular housing units for people who are homeless, and more than $170 million over three years to provide 24/7 staffing and support services for these units.
• Each modular building will provide self-contained units with personal kitchens and washrooms.
• The Province will be working with local governments and community partners to develop a Homelessness Action Plan to reduce homelessness through permanent housing and services.

Learn More:

More information about the B.C. government’s modular housing program can be found here: https://www.bchousing.org/partner-services/major-projects/modular-housing-initiative

To find out what the Province is doing to improve housing affordability, please visit: news.gov.bc.ca/factsheets/bc-government-addressing-housing-affordability-challenges

Media Contacts:

Lindsay Byers
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
250-952-0617

Rajvir Rao
BC Housing
604-456-8917

A backgrounder follows.

BACKGROUNDER

Services and supports provided for modular housing

The B.C. government is allocating $170 million over three years to ensure all the new modular housing buildings in the province have 24/7 staffing.

Experienced non-profit housing providers will be selected to operate the modular buildings.

Tenants will be provided with support based on their assessed need.

Examples of services and supports:

• Meals;
• Connecting residents to community supports such as education and employment opportunities and health and wellness services;
• Individual or group support services such as life skills, community information and social and recreational programs;
• Case planning and needs assessment;
• Other supports designed to assist residents in meeting their personal and housing goals, including culturally-specific programs;
• Assistance to access Income Assistance, Pension Benefits, Disability Benefits, obtaining a BC Identification Card or establishing a bank account;
• Support for residents to maintain their home such as room de-cluttering, rent payment, and repayment plans; and
• No-cost laundry services, either on-site or off-site.

Media Contacts:

Lindsay Byers

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

250-952-0617

Rajvir Rao
BC Housing

604-456-8917