16
July
2019
|
11:01 AM
America/Los_Angeles

New affordable homes for Salt Spring Island families

SALT SPRING ISLAND - Low- to moderate-income families will benefit from 24 much-needed new affordable rental homes in the community.

"We are working with partners to deliver affordable housing on Salt Spring Island and throughout the province, so people can stay in the communities they choose to call home, " said Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. "I would like to thank Salt Spring Community Services and the local community for working with us to create these homes that meet people's needs."

Salt Spring Island Community Services is receiving $2.4 million from the Province's Building BC: Community Housing Fund to build the Salt Spring Commons, located at 176 Bishops Walk Rd. The project will include two- and three-bedroom units within eight triplex buildings. Projected monthly rental rates will range between $570 for two-bedroom units and $1,475 for three- bedroom units.

"Housing security for British Columbians is a priority the BC Green Party caucus shares with the provincial government," said Adam Olsen, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands and member of the Rental Housing Task Force. "Supporting local communities by offering families affordable rental options is critical for improving the rental system on Salt Spring Island and around the province."

The project will be built on a two-hectare (five-acre) parcel of land owned by the society. Construction is expected to start in fall 2019.

"This project is a testament to the power of a community pulling together," said Rob Grant, executive director, Salt Spring Island Community Services. "Local donors, along with the provincial government through BC Housing, have made it possible for us as a housing provider to meet a critical and increasing need for affordable housing on Salt Spring."

The development is walking distance from the town centre of Ganges, which has a grocery store, community services, parks and a downtown harbour.

This project is part of more than 20,000 new homes completed or underway throughout B.C. because of provincial investments, including more than 5,000 homes in mixed-income buildings for people with a range of low, moderate and middle incomes through the Community Housing Fund.

Quick Facts:

  • Salt Spring Island Community Services is providing $500,000 and donated the land valued at $720,000. The society has also secured $1 million in private donations.
  • Islands Trust will provide $42,000 in municipal fee reductions.
  • The Capital Regional District will provide $50,000 in Community Works (gas tax) funding to help fund investments in energy-efficient measures for the project.
  • This housing development is part of the first series of projects selected to receive funding through the Building BC: Community Housing Fund, a $1.9-billion investment over 10 years to build more than 14,000 affordable rental homes for people with low and middle incomes.
  • Projects built under the Community Housing Fund will reflect the following mix of incomes:
    • 30% of the units will be for middle-income households, with annual incomes up to approximately $107,000.
    • 50% of the units will be for a range of low- to moderate-income households with annual incomes below the housing income limits, ranging from $21,000 to $96,000. (Housing income limits represent the income needed to pay the average market rent in a specific community.)
    • 20% of the units will be for households with low incomes, which are up to $30,000 annually.

Learn More:

View a map of all announced government-funded housing projects in B.C.: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC

For a snapshot of progress on B.C.'s 10-year housing plan, visit: https://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/

A backgrounder follows. 

Contacts:

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Media Relations
778 698-9176

Andrea Coutts
BC Housing
778 452-2745


BACKGROUNDER

Province building new homes to meet full spectrum of housing needs

The B.C. government is working in partnership 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 21,000 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. To date, this includes:

Housing for middle-income earners (households with annual incomes between $50,000 and $150,000) - approximately 3,260 homes:

  • Building BC: Community Housing Fund: approximately 1,500 rental homes for people with middle incomes.
  • HousingHub: approximately 1,760 homes.

Housing for people with low to moderate incomes (including some where rents are based on 30% of household income and others with set rents, which are designed to be affordable; to moderate-income households, in most cases earning less than $70,000 annually) - approximately 9,200 homes:

  • Building BC: Community Housing Fund: approximately 3,700 rental homes for people with low to moderate incomes.
  • Affordable Rental Housing Program: nearly 1,600 homes for low to moderate incomes.
  • Deepening Affordability Fund: more than 2,150 homes for low to moderate incomes.
  • Building BC: Indigenous Housing Fund: more than 1,160 homes for Indigenous peoples, on- and off-reserve.
  • Regional Housing First Program: more than 600 homes for people with low to moderate incomes.

Housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness (shelter-rate housing) - more than 2,900 homes:

  • Rapid Response to Homelessness: 2,064 homes with 24/7 support.
  • Building BC: Supportive Housing Fund: nearly 690 homes with 24/7 support.
  • Regional Housing First Program: more than 170 homes for those ready to live independently with supports.

Housing for women and children leaving violence - approximately 340 homes:

  • Building BC: Women's Transition Housing Fund: approximately 340 spaces of transition, second-stage and affordable rental housing for women and children leaving violence.

Housing for students - approximately 5,600 homes:

  • BC Student Housing Loan Program: approximately 2,700 on-campus student housing units are underway or in the approvals process.
  • Nearly 2,900 student housing units are also underway or in development through partnerships with post-secondary institutions.

Total: approximately 21,300 homes

Contacts:

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Media Relations
778 698-9176

Andrea Coutts
BC Housing
778 452-2745