Editor:
I am writing to thank the writer of the letter challenging the Town of Gibsons to support “multiple-level, serviced” new developments to address affordable housing. I can say with certainty that the entire council agrees.
We are doing all we can but realize it isn’t nearly enough. Doing all we can means preparing applications for new federal and provincial grant programs, which we’re doing; raising our affordable housing fund to over $300,000 by correcting ineffective policy; requesting that the federal government offer the former RCMP property for affordable housing (Coast Reporter, Dec. 23, 2015); considering a cluster housing project on Town-owned land (Coast Reporter, March 17, 2016); tackling the serious concern of short-term rentals replacing long-term, as reported elsewhere; and also identifying unused, single Town properties that we as a community can contribute to the effort (Coast Reporter, June 9, 2016).
The latter approach was favoured by the local expertise of the non-profit Sunshine Coast Affordable Housing Society. Furthermore, it was the society that requested the $4,000 for a feasibility study. We have been collaborating with this hard-working group for our entire term; we’re proudly supporting our local volunteers, certainly not “bogging them down.” (We’re also pursuing discussions with other a number of other community groups.)
I’m not yet aware of any “spot zoning” or variances that would need to be required for the single property that the housing society is currently looking at (that’s why we need a feasibility study), but I assure the writer that I am willing to consider all such options and opportunities in the Town, big or small, in order to support affordable housing. In the current housing environment, I expect every elected official on the Coast is.
Silas White, Councillor, Town of Gibsons
