VANCOUVER - Seniors in Vancouver now have access to 139 new affordable rental homes that will allow them to live independently and stay connected to their community with the opening of the Vivian Apartments redevelopment.

"We know that seniors want to stay in their community, close to friends and family,"said George Chow, MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview, on behalf of Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. "Everyone deserves a good, affordable home, and our government will continue to work with the City of Vancouver and community partners to deliver more affordable housing for people in our community."

Located at 6465 Vivian St., the new four-storey, wood-frame building provides studio, one bedroom and one-bedroom accessible units and includes indoor and outdoor amenity space. The building is located near community facilities, retail areas and transit.

"This new apartment building means dozens of seniors will be able to stay living in Vancouver in comfortable new homes,"said Kennedy Stewart, mayor, City of Vancouver. "Partnerships are key in creating affordable housing - our number 1 priority - and we're grateful to have worked with the provincial government and Fair Haven Homes Society to deliver this project."

Fair Haven Homes Society will operate the building. The non-profit society has provided lowcost housing for seniors for close 75 years.

"With the addition of Vivian Apartments, and the 145 units that opened last January at the McKay Apartments, Fair Haven is proud to say that we provide homes for more than 600 seniors across Vancouver and Burnaby,"said Joy Parsons, CEO, Fair Haven Homes Society. "We are also proud to say that this building has achieved LEED Gold Status."

People will start moving in on Feb. 1, 2020. The society will welcome back 11 people that lived in the previous Fair Haven building that was on the site before the redevelopment.

These homes are part of the more than 22,000 new homes, including 3,500 homes in Vancouver, that are completed or underway throughout B.C. because of provincial investments.

Delivering affordable housing is a shared priority between government and the BC Green Party caucus, and is part of the Confidence and Supply Agreement.

Quick Facts:

• The Province provided a $3-million grant and $19 million in construction financing for this project.
• The City of Vancouver provided a $1.4-million housing infrastructure capital grant and development cost exemptions totalling almost $1 million.
• The new 139-unit building replaced a 50-unit building, which was built in 1966.
• Monthly rental rates for Vivian Apartments are:
  • 114 studio units: $1,038
  • 19 one-bedroom units: $1,308
  • 6 accessible one-bedroom units: $1,038 to $1,508 (depending on whether or not the tenants are living on a disability pension)

Learn More:

A map showing the location of all announced provincially funded housing projects in B.C. is available online: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC

To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/

To learn about the steps the City of Vancouver is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for Vancouver residents, visit: https://vancouver.ca/people-programs/housing-vancouver-strategy.aspx

A backgrounder follows

Contacts:

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Media Relations
778 584-1255

BC Housing
media@bchousing.org

BACKGROUNDER

Province building new homes to meet full spectrum of housing needs

The B.C. government is working in partnership with non-profits, municipalities, First Nations, Indigenous housing organizations and the private sector to build 114,000 affordable homes that cover the full spectrum of housing needs for British Columbians by 2028.

Budget 2018 included a $7-billion investment in the homes people need. As a result of that investment, more than 23,000 new homes are completed, under construction or in the approvals process for a range of people who are struggling to find a place to live, from people who are experiencing homelessness and seniors on fixed incomes, to middle-income families, students and individuals. As of Dec. 31, 2019, this includes:

Housing for people with middle incomes

The average annual household income qualifying for homes underway is under $99,000 per year:

• HousingHub: 2,802 homes

Housing for people with low to moderate incomes

This includes people residing in social housing (household incomes less than $65,000) as well as those living in affordable market rentals (households with annual incomes up to $74,000) – 9,837 homes:

Affordable market:

• Building BC: Community Housing Fund (30% of units in each project): 1,565 rental homes for people with low to moderate incomes
• Affordable Rental Housing Program: 1,615 homes for people with low to moderate incomes
• Deepening Affordability Fund: 1,976 homes for people with low to moderate incomes
• Regional Housing First Program: 907 homes for people with low to moderate incomes

Social housing or subsidized rents:

• Building BC: Community Housing Fund (50% of units in each project): 2,609 rental homes for people with low incomes
• Building BC: Indigenous Housing Fund: 1,165 homes for Indigenous peoples, on- and off- reserve

Housing for people with very low incomes

Rental housing for people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness, or for people with very low incomes (includes supportive housing and shelter-rate housing) – 4,795 homes:

• Rapid Response to Homelessness: 2,012 homes with 24/7 support
• Building BC: Supportive Housing Fund: 1,060 homes with 24/7 support
• Building BC: Women’s Transition Housing Fund: 679 spaces of transition, second-stage and affordable rental housing for women and children leaving violence
• Building BC: Community Housing Fund (20% of units in each project): 1,044 homes

Housing for students – 5,584 homes:

• BC Student Housing Loan Program: 2,699 on-campus student housing units are under construction, in development or in the approvals process
• 2,885 student housing units are also completed, under construction or in development through partnerships with post-secondary institutions

Total: 23,018 homes

Media Contacts:

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
778 584-2433

BC Housing
media@bchousing.org