Seniors displaced by 2021 flooding in Princeton, B.C. able to return home in May

Two years after floods devastated the town of Princeton, B.C., displaced seniors will be able to return home.

“The November 2021 flooding profoundly affected people in Princeton, including seniors living in low-cost housing. With these new homes, seniors who have been displaced for months can return to their community and support networks,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness.

“We know there is more recovery work to be done, and our government is committed to supporting people and communities as they continue moving forward.”

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Twenty new temporary homes will open soon for seniors displaced by the flooding, supported through BC Housing, the Town of Princeton and the Princeton and District Community Services Society.

Located on lots D and E in the Stan Thompson Industrial Park, the development has 10 modular units, each with two separate one-bedroom apartments and a shared laundry space. Each apartment has a kitchen, private bathroom and balcony. Extensive landscaping also provides additional privacy and outdoor space for tenants to enjoy.

The development will provide housing to seniors who were previously living in the Silver Crest apartment buildings, which were severely damaged by flooding in November 2021.

Tenants who were displaced from Silver Crest and have not been able to secure housing elsewhere have been offered the option to move into the new units.

Previous Silver Crest residents will continue to pay the same monthly rents they were paying prior to the flooding. Any remaining units will be made available to other eligible Princeton-area seniors.

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The Province provided approximately $1.4 million for the project and BC Housing will provide approximately $32,000 in annual operating funding. The Town of Princeton provided the land for the building on a five-year lease. BC Housing is in discussions with the town and other partners to secure a permanent replacement housing project.

The new homes will be operated by PDCSS. Residents are expected to start moving into the building on May 1.