Seniors and families in Langford will benefit from new affordable homes and child care spaces as part of Phase 2 of the Oak Park redevelopment funded by the Province’s Building BC: Community Housing Fund.

“The housing crisis has left too many people struggling to afford the basics in B.C. communities,” said Premier John Horgan. “These new homes at Oak Park, with new child care spaces on site, are a model of the kind of project we are building throughout the province to address the housing crisis and make life better and more affordable for seniors and families.”

The Phase 2 funding will add another 80 new affordable rental homes and 36 child care spaces. Premier Horgan made the announcement at the grand opening of Phase 1, which added 73 new homes.

“Housing is the foundation of healthy families and strong communities, but too many people in B.C. are without access to the safe, secure and affordable housing everyone needs,” said Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “By investing in projects such as Oak Park, we are helping families struggling today and making sure we have affordable homes for generations to come.”

The $8 million in funding for Phase 2 are part of the Province’s new Building BC: Community Housing Fund, a $1.9-billion investment over 10 years to build more than 14,000 affordable rental homes for middle-income households, seniors and people with low incomes. The first set of projects, announced on Nov. 13, 2018, includes 4,902 homes in 42 communities throughout B.C. to be built over the next two to three years.

The child care facility, operated by Atira Women’s Resource Centre, is planned to provide full-time spaces for 12 infants and toddlers and 24 spaces for three- to five-year-olds.

“This project is a great example of how partnerships can deliver innovative solutions to create new child care spaces across B.C.,” said Katrina Chen, Minister of State for Child Care. “Incorporating affordable, quality child care into the Oak Park redevelopment project will help parents return to the workforce and give their children the best start to their early years and beyond.”

The Oak Park redevelopment will be completed in partnership with Pacifica Housing and the City of Langford, and will provide 153 new affordable rental homes for low- to moderate-income individuals, families, seniors and people with disabilities.

Oak Park is one of Pacifica Housing’s 26 subsidized housing properties in the Capital Regional District and Nanaimo Regional District.

Construction of Phase 2 is expected to start before the end of this year.

Quotes:

Jaime Hall, board president, Pacifica Housing –

"We are thrilled to be working with our partners to increase the affordable housing stock for families on the West Shore. People should be able to work in the communities where they live, and projects like Oak Park make that possible."

Stew Young, mayor, City of Langford –

“Partnering with Pacifica Housing to provide safe, affordable housing for families with low or moderate incomes is a priority of Langford council. A project like Oak Park that includes affordable child care will set the groundwork to enable hard working families to move forward with less financial strain and more ability to realize future dreams. It’s partnerships like this one that emphasize Langford’s commitment to its family-oriented community.”

Janice Abbott, CEO, Atira Women’s Resource Society –

“We are delighted to partner with Pacifica Housing and the City of Langford to bring housing stability coupled with quality, affordable child care to the West Shore. We know communities thrive when children and families are well served in the places where they live, and we hope Oak Park can serve as a model for future affordable housing developments across the province.”

Quick Facts:

• Phase 1 of the redevelopment included replacing 13 townhouse units with a four-storey 73-unit apartment complex.
• Phase 2 will include replacing the remaining 12 townhouse units with 80 units of affordable rental housing and the child care facility.
• Tenants from the first 13 units moved into neighbouring Pacifica-operated properties. The tenants from the remaining 12 now live in the building built during Phase 1.
• The Province invested $15.5 million in capital costs toward the Oak Park redevelopment:
  • Phase 1: $7.5 million through the Investment in Housing Innovation program
  • Phase 2: $8 million through the Building BC: Community Housing Fund
• The City of Langford is contributing:
  •  $100,000 from its affordable housing fund; and
  • $788,065 in municipal reductions.
• Pacifica Housing is providing the land valued at $3.15 million.
• Phase 2 of the Oak Park redevelopment is one of 72 projects recently selected for funding through the Community Housing Fund, with 20 of those on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.
• The Community Housing Fund was announced as part of Budget 2018, which launched the largest investment in housing affordability in B.C.'s history – more than $7 billion over 10 years.

Learn More:

Read Homes for B.C., government’s 30-point plan to address housing affordability for British Columbians:
bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/2018/homesbc/2018_Homes_For_BC.pdf

To find out what the Province is doing to improve housing affordability, visit:
https://news.gov.bc.ca/factsheets/province-progressing-on-housing-affordability-creating-jobs

Information about the Building BC: Community Housing Fund and a map of the approved projects can be found here:
http://www.bchousing.org/CHF