The Sunshine Coast Affordable Housing Society is asking the Town of Gibsons to take the idea of using Town land for a multi-unit project to the public.
The society’s Matt Thomson appeared before the Jan. 24 meeting of council, where he said the society has been working with Town staff and Coun. Stafford Lumley on a proposal that could tap into the $355-million the province announced for affordable housing late last year.
“We’ve got some high-level thinking around who we’d like to serve, but what it came down to, as always, is where,” Thomson said, adding that to get the necessary economies of scale the project would need to be around 40 units.
The society has identified two potential locations, which have both been on the table before. One is the Charmin Creek lands in the area around the foot of Shaw Road, and the other is the property next to Christenson Village off O’Shea Road, which has also been considered for eventual expansion of the long-term care facility.
Thomson said the details of the development would depend on the location. “We’d want a fairly broad cross-section of below market and ‘housing income limit’ level housing, and with capital investment from BC Housing, it’s much easier to start to build those lower rents in.”
The monthly rents for a one-bedroom unit would be in the range of $875 at the “housing income limit” to $975 for renters at a median income level. BC Housing’s market rent for one-bedroom units is $969.33.
The next step, Thomson told council, is to have the Town hold an open house to present ideas to the public, ahead of making an application to BC Housing to fund the project.
Coun. Charlene San Jenko said an open house would be a great idea to raise awareness of the work being done on the affordable housing front.
Mayor Wayne Rowe said he’d like to see more information before committing to a date.
The society is also putting the finishing touches on the feasibility study of a proposal to use a former Town road dedication off Franklin Road for a project in partnership with the modular home company Click. And planner Andre Boel told Rowe he could bring forward a report on both proposals in the coming weeks.
Thomson, who also works with the Homelessness Advisory Council, told the meeting that they’re confident BC Housing will support plans for more shelter space in Sechelt.
St. Hilda’s Anglican Church is currently hosting a cold weather shelter, which will be open through April, but the need has outgrown the space. According to Thomson, 15 to 20 clients have been using the shelter every night.
The shíshálh Nation has offered a building once used as an employment centre, but it would have to be moved from its current location. Thomson said there are some potential locations in downtown Sechelt, and they’ve been in talks with BC Housing where there were “strong indicators there that they support both our medium-term planning and long-term planning from both an operational and a capital side.”
