Individuals who are at risk of homelessness will soon have increased access to safe, affordable rental housing with the recent purchase of a motel in Kelowna.

The former Econo Lodge motel will be renovated to provide 44 self-contained units for people with low incomes who are able to live independently but struggle to find suitable, affordable housing in the community. Onsite staff will work with tenants on an individual basis to connect them with service providers for supports.

Located at 1780 Gordon Dr., residents will have a safe place to call home as well as easy access to transit, amenities and retail services.

The Governments of Canada and British Columbia provided a combined investment of $5 million for the purchase and renovations of the motel through the Canada-B.C. Agreement for Investment in Affordable Housing.

The Province will own the property, which will be operated by BC Housing. The building is expected to be ready for occupancy by fall 2016.

Quotes:

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) –

“Our government is proud to be a partner with provinces and territories and provide funding for the creation of affordable rental housing units across the country, including Kelowna. Once the construction work is complete, residents will have more options to help meet their housing needs.”

Premier Christy Clark, MLA for Westside-Kelowna –

“The B.C. government is committed to increasing safe, affordable housing options, and converting existing buildings into affordable rental housing is a model that has proven successful in a number of communities. It’s going to give 44 individuals or families a place to call home.”

Mayor Colin Basran, City of Kelowna –

“We welcome this addition to the City of Kelowna’s spectrum of housing options for people who don’t have a permanent place to live, or are at risk of being homeless. It’s another great example of governments working together to fund solutions for new affordable housing options in Kelowna.”

Learn More:

CMHC has been helping Canadians meet their housing needs for more than 70 years. As Canada’s authority on housing, it contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need and offers unbiased housing research and advice to Canadian governments, consumers and the housing industry. Prudent risk management, strong corporate governance and transparency are cornerstones of CMHC’s operations. For more information, please call 1 800 668-2642 or visit: www.cmhc.ca

Since 2001, the B.C. government has invested $4.4 billion to provide affordable housing for low-income individuals, seniors and families. This year, nearly 102,000 B.C. households will benefit from provincial social housing programs and services. To find out more, go to: www.bchousing.org

Stay Connected:

• Follow CMHC on: Twitter (twitter.com) , YouTube (youtube.com) , LinkedIn (linkedin.com) and Facebook (facebook.com) .
• Follow BC Housing on Twitter: @BC_Housing (twitter.com)
• Connect with the Government of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect