A Kelowna non-profit housing society said it saw a ‘huge demand’ for some of its newly opened rental apartments aimed at low and middle-income residents.
Residents at the Columbian Centennial Housing Society’s new Columbus Centre rental apartment building on Sutherland Avenue started moving in last weekend.
The society said it saw a ‘huge demand’ for the one-bedroom units in particular, and that applications started to come in as soon as construction began.
While not all the units have been officially rented, there are already applicants being considered for the remaining units.
The province provided $9.65 million in low-cost financing to the housing society to build the project, which features 36 below-market rental units.
The province said 24 one-bedroom apartments will be rented for $950 a month and eight two-bedrooms will rent for $1,600.
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The project also includes four studio units where the rent will correspond with income and range from $375 to $750.
The complex also includes 12 units of rental housing that can be rented at market rates, the province said.
New resident Mary Friesen moved to the Okanagan from Surrey.
She said finding a place in the Okanagan during the pandemic was challenging at her price point.
“You could always get stuff that was a lot higher and I wasn’t willing to pay that. It was a little bit stressful,” said Friesen.
“I have to give all the credit to my daughter…she kept me calm and reassured me, ‘You’ll find a place.’ I’m so happy that we could get in here.”
While the opening of the affordable rental complex is welcome news for the city’s mayor, Colin Basran said significantly more affordable rental housing is needed in Kelowna.
“There is a significant need for subsidized rental housing in our community. With what the real estate market is doing right now it’s making housing even less attainable for many of our residents,” Basran said.
“Certainly I want residents of our community to know that it’s top of mind with city council, but there are in fact very few things the city can do outside of trying to increase supply.”
Basran said city staff have been working to get new housing projects built quickly to try to add to the supply.
— With files from Darrian Matassa-Fung
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