Skip to content

Affordable housing moves to Vernon, Okanagan Indian Band

Close to 30 homes to be built for low-to-moderate-income families
23516683_web1_190925-SAA-climate-strike-harwinder-sandhu
Vernon-Monashee NDP MLA Harwinder Sandhu welcomes the news that 29 affordable housing homes will be built in her riding. (Black Press - file photo)

Twenty-nine new affordable rental homes are on the way to Vernon and the Okanagan Indian Band’s Reserve No. 1 through the Building BC: Community Housing Fund.

The more than 600 homes for people with low- to-moderate incomes was announced by the province in a Dec. 2 statement.

“These projects will mean new, affordable homes for a wide range of people — from seniors on fixed incomes to growing families and people with disabilities,” said David Eby, minister responsible for housing. “There’s a lot more to do, and I look forward to working with the non-profit housing sector and all our partners to continue delivering the homes people need.”

The 16 projects selected, which will provide a total of 634 new homes, include:

  • Vernon, 6309-6321-6335 Okanagan Landing Rd.: 13 homes for seniors, people with disabilities and families, in partnership with Vernon and District Community Land Trust
  • Vernon, Reserve #1: 16 homes for Indigenous Elders, couples and families, in partnership with Okanagan Indian Band.

The Community Housing Fund, which is part of the province’s 10-year, $7-billion housing plan, supports mixed-income buildings. It is an investment of $1.9 billion to build more than 14,000 mixed-income rental homes for low- and moderate-income families and individuals. These projects have:

  • 50 per cent of units for households with annual incomes up to $64,000;
  • 30 per cent of units for households with annual incomes up to approximately $74,000; and
  • 20 per cent of units for households with very low incomes (including those on income or disability assistance).

Vernon-Monashee MLA Harwinder Sandhu is welcoming 29 new affordable rental homes coming to her riding for people with low-to-moderate incomes.

“Access to affordable housing is important for the health and wellbeing of individuals, families, and our community as a whole,” said Sandhu. “I’m proud that our New Democrat government is delivering much-needed affordable housing for people in Vernon.”

The request for proposals for the current intake of the Community Housing Fund, which launched in May 2020, is open until mid-January 2021.

Approximately 3,000 new affordable homes are expected to be funded this intake — the second since 2017. The first seven projects funded through this intake were announced in September 2020.

READ MORE: Vernon soon to be home for more affordable housing



roger@vernonmorningstar.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.