On the heels of an ongoing dispute over a homeless shelter in Penticton, B.C., comes news of a possible land-assembly development that could see more than 100 affordable homes built within city limits.
On Thursday, the province announced that, through BC Housing, it has bought three motels in Penticton for $7.9 million.
The province hopes to redevelop the three motels, and a nearby low-income apartment complex it already owns, into 105 affordable homes for people with low incomes in the community.
Loosely speaking, a land assembly is the joining of separate parcels of land into one large parcel of land, where bigger buildings are usually built, but not always.
According to BC Housing, the three motels and the nearby low-income apartment complex — Skaha Sunrise Apartments — are all located on Skaha Lake Road. The three motels are all in a row.
- Meadow Lark Motel at 2730 Skaha Lake Rd.;
- Sun Valley Motel at 2784 Skaha Lake Rd.;
- Mayfair Motel at 2824 Skaha Lake Rd.
- Skaha Sunrise Apartments, 2872 Skaha Lake Rd., and 179 Green Ave., W.
“The purchase of these motels will help ensure existing affordable housing in Penticton is maintained and improved so people can continue to live affordably and thrive in the community,” said David Eby, B.C.’s Attorney General and housing minister.
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“We will continue to explore new and creative avenues like this one to help tackle the housing crisis and meet the needs of renters and homeowners across B.C.”
The province says the three motels currently provide 57 people with affordable homes, and that BC Housing will take over the leases so that the current tenants are not displaced.
The province noted that BC Housing has operated Skaha Sunrise Apartments since 2009.
The province also said the motels and apartment buildings are old and need extensive and ongoing repairs, and that BC Housing has decided to invest in redeveloping the properties with new buildings.
“Over the long term, BC Housing plans to apply for rezoning to redevelop the three motels and one provincially owned site into newer affordable housing for people with low incomes,” said the province.
“The details of these projects will be determined through consultation with the community.”
In the meantime, the province said the motels will undergo some minor improvements and that current residents will not be affected by the renovations.
The province also said that Skaha Sunrise Apartments, with its 48 units of low-income rental housing, has been identified as a candidate for redevelopment.
Global News has reached out to BC Housing for more information.
To learn about the project, including questions and feedback, visit this website.
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