The Slocan Valley Housing Society is looking for a piece of property to start working on a new affordable housing project in the Slocan Valley.
The society is looking for someone to donate land – or contribute money to help the non-profit buy the perfect property.
The society’s next project will be a 10- to -12 unit building with a mix of one to three bedrooms, and will offer housing for families and single folk, as well as seniors.
“There’s a huge need for more affordable housing in our valley,” says Julian Ross, the SVHS second vice-president. “Rental rates, if you can even find a place, are climbing and, at a certain point, some valley residents are forced to leave this beautiful valley we call home. Our goal is to provide affordable, safe and comfortable housing for people of all ages.”
Both the society’s current buildings, Passmore Lodge and Slocan City Suites, are for seniors. They’re fully occupied, and officials say the waiting list keeps growing.
“Passmore Lodge was built on donated land in 1999, and Slocan City Suites, which opened in 2018, was built on land provided on a long-term lease,” says Ross. “The cost of land is small, compared to the overall cost of building a new facility, but it’s a crucial part of making a project affordable.”
The society is looking for a housing site that’s approximately one to two acres, with easy access to electricity, and a good water supply – and in an area either close to one of the local communities, or with transit nearby.
Money donors would be eligible for a charitable receipt for tax purposes.
For more information, or to make a monetary donation, please call SVHS Administrator Joyce Johnson, Tuesday or Thursday from 9 am to 2 pm at 250-226-7136.
Landowners with a suitable property can hold a confidential call with SVHS directors Sally Mackenzie at 250-359-7984 or Julian Ross at 250-226-7349.
You can read the article in the Valley Voice (page 9) from the PDF below: