BC Gov News

• There are currently three shelters totalling 160 spaces in Kelowna that are open and funded by the Province, through BC Housing.
• With the addition of the recently announced Fuller Avenue site and the Welcome Inn temporary shelter, there will soon be at least 220 spaces available to people in Kelowna experiencing homelessness.
• In addition to shelters, the Province has opened more than 80 supportive homes in Kelowna since October 2018, including Heath House (40 homes) and Hearthstone (46 homes).
• In addition, there are three more provincially funded supportive housing projects that are in development in the Kelowna area that will provide more than 150 units for people experiencing homelessness in the community.
• Two of the projects are expected to open in Spring 2020, while the third will be ready in 2021.
• The Province is also currently providing rent subsidies for 184 people or households who were experiencing homelessness, enabling them to live and rent in the private market.
• The Province has opened close to 2,100 units of supportive housing across B.C. in the last two years, with more than 800 additional homes underway.
• These developments are part of the government's Homes for BC housing plan, which will build a total of 114,000 affordable homes over 10 years, including 4,700 units of supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness.
• Additional shelter spaces are open in the community, which aren’t funded by the Province.

The B.C. government is working in partnership to build 114,000 affordable homes that cover the full spectrum of housing needs for British Columbians by 2028.

Budget 2018 included a $7-billion investment in the homes people need. As a result of that investment, more than 22,000 new homes are completed, under construction or in the approvals process for a range of people who are struggling to find a place to live, from people who are experiencing homelessness and seniors on fixed incomes, to middle-income families, students and individuals. As of Aug. 31, 2019, this includes:

Housing for middle-income earners (households with annual incomes between $50,000 and $150,000) – approximately 4,120 homes:

• Building BC: Community Housing Fund: approximately 1,500 rental homes for people with middle incomes.
• HousingHub: approximately 2,620 homes.

Housing for people with low to moderate incomes (including some where rents are based on 30% of household income and others with set rents, which are designed to be affordable; to moderate-income households, in most cases earning less than $70,000 annually) – approximately 9,320 homes:

• Building BC: Community Housing Fund: approximately 3,700 rental homes for people with low to moderate incomes.
• Affordable Rental Housing Program: nearly 1,600 homes for low to moderate incomes.
• Deepening Affordability Fund: more than 2,150 homes for low to moderate incomes.
• Building BC: Indigenous Housing Fund: approximately 1,170 homes for Indigenous peoples, on- and off-reserve.
• Regional Housing First Program: approximately 700 homes for people with low to moderate incomes.

Housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness (shelter-rate housing) – approximately 3,060 homes:

• Rapid Response to Homelessness: 2,064 homes with 24/7 support.
• Building BC: Supportive Housing Fund: approximately 800 homes with 24/7 support.
• Regional Housing First Program: approximately 200 homes for those ready to live independently with supports.

Housing for women and children leaving violence – approximately 360 homes:

• Building BC: Women’s Transition Housing Fund: approximately 360 spaces of transition, second-stage and affordable rental housing for women and children leaving violence.

Housing for students – approximately 5,600 homes:

• BC Student Housing Loan Program: approximately 2,700 on-campus student housing units are underway or in the approvals process.
• Nearly 2,900 student housing units are also underway or in development through partnerships with post-secondary institutions.

Total: approximately 22,460 homes