Image: City of Kelowna
The temporary supportive housing project BC Housing plans to build in a Kelowna business park could stay in place for as long as seven years.
The project is part of a provincial government plan for several new supportive housing and shelter spaces in Kelowna, aimed at providing much-needed support for the city’s homeless.
It would see 55 units of temporary, modular housing stacked into a two-storey structure, on a property at 1642 Commerce Ave.
A report to Kelowna City Council reveals BC Housing has a lease to operate on the property for four years, with an option to extend the lease for three more.
“The applicant’s primary goal is to provide a temporary and rapid form of housing that is currently in high demand. The applicant’s intention is for this facility to operate for a few years while a permanent housing project is explored,” the report says.
City of Kelowna representative Doug Gilchrist confirmed this fact earlier this week, in an interview with Okanagan Edge.
The report to council says the housing units will be up and running by late January or early February, and be managed 24/7 by the John Howard Society.
Business owners in the park have pushed back against the development, saying they’re worried the building won’t fit with the form and character of the neighbourhood.
Tony Gaspari said he has doubts the project will actually end up being temporary. He added that, even if it is, it will be around long enough to have a dramatic impact on the area.
“We’ve developed this business park, and investors have built buildings with certain expectations,” he said.
The council report points out that Horizon North, the company assisting BC Housing with the project, has worked with city staff to help make it as aesthetically pleasing as possible.
“Staff understand that the housing operator will aim to minimize any possible negative visual and operating impacts on neighbouring properties,” it says.
Gilchrist has pointed out that that the project is on an accelerated timeline because of the “emergency situation” facing the city’s homeless, and that some “compromises” have to be made in order to find them homes as soon as possible.
“This is about people, and people’s lives, and with the cold weather coming it’s even more critical we have housing for people in need,” he said.
Kelowna city council will have its first chance to weigh in on the project at its Dec. 11 meeting.
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