A partnership to offer affordable housing to Sicamous seniors is officially confirmed, with plans set to move forward as soon as possible.
The district is working alongside the Eagle Valley Senior Citizens Housing Society (EVSCHS) and BC Housing to provide a 36-unit, affordable housing complex for people aged 55+ on the southern portions of 417 and 425 Main St., with an access point built off of Gordon Mackie Lane.
The district has committed an acre of the land to EVSCHS to build upon.
Plans have been in motion for years, with different iterations and locations proposed for housing and care facilities since 2016.
READ MORE: Sicamous seniors housing expansion planned
READ MORE: Shuswap community purchases property for affordable housing project
READ MORE: Eagle Valley Senior Citizens Housing Society expands mandate
On April 2, 2023, the district sent a formal letter to represent its confirmation of support for the project. The letter states the support is conditional upon EVSCHS fulfilling its obligations to BC Housing, as part of the grant funding EVSCHS received to complete the project.
The letter’s specifics note the provision of land will be done through a transfer of title with a covenant that indicates the land has to be used to provide affordable housing. The district will subdivide the property, preparing the application, completing and paying for surveying that needs to be done and any legal costs that arise, reads the letter. Any related application fees will be waived as well.
Water and sewer connections fees and development cost charges will be waived for the housing units, as will permit fees regarding building and site preparation. The district will also exempt the land from municipal property taxes as part of the Permissive Tax Exemption Bylaw as well, according to the letter.
“The services provided by Eagle Valley Senior Citizens Housing Society are essential to community well being,” said Mayor Colleen Anderson in a media release.
“We thank the society for its leadership and look forward to seeing the project come to fruition.”
EVSCHS vice-president Judy Moore also expressed excitement. “The land is shovel-ready which allows us to move the project forward quickly and use remaining land owned by the society for the next phase of development.”
The district’s release mentions plans to pursue development of a commercial or attainable housing project on the front portion of the Main Street properties, in addition to the EVSCHS housing project. A request for proposals will come later this year to find qualified housing partners for the design, construction and management of a possible development.
@willson_becca
rebecca.willson@saobserver.net
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our daily newsletter.