Low- to- moderate-income families, seniors and people with disabilities are moving into 67 new affordable rental homes in Vancouver.

The new homes are the first phase of the redevelopment of Heather Place, a partnership between the Province and Metro Vancouver Housing Corporation.

“Everyone deserves safe, secure and affordable housing, and this project will make a real difference in the lives of the families and seniors who will call it home,” said George Heyman, MLA for Vancouver-Fairview. “This is a great step forward and we know there is more to do. We’re going to keep working with our partners to build the homes people need.”

Located at 733 - 773 West 14th Ave., the project includes homes of varying sizes, from studios to three-bedroom homes, and includes four accessible units. The project also includes a play court, community kitchen and meeting spaces.

Twenty-nine of these homes have rents from approximately $380 to $1,140 per month, designed for households with annual incomes up to $40,000 to $66,500. The remaining homes are low-end market rentals, with rents starting at approximately $1,200 per month.

When complete, the Heather Place redevelopment will provide 230 new rental homes for people with a mix of incomes.

Delivering affordable housing is a shared priority between government and the BC Green Party caucus and is part of the Confidence and Supply Agreement.

Quotes:

Sav Dhaliwal, chair, Metro Vancouver Regional District board of directors –

“Our collaboration with BC Housing and the Province is a testament to what’s possible when governments and agencies work together. With the first phase of the Heather Place redevelopment project now complete, we will continue to implement the programs and projects that, with the right support, will help expand and diversify affordable housing throughout the region.”

Mike Hurley, chair, Metro Vancouver Housing Committee –

“In its 10-Year Housing Plan, Metro Vancouver Housing anticipates investing over $190 million to preserve and improve its current sites and to build or redevelop 1,350 new units over the next decade. We will continue to seek partnerships with other agencies and orders of government to best leverage our investments and to support the creation of even more affordable housing units."

Kennedy Stewart, mayor, City of Vancouver –

“The Heather Place redevelopment is proof that by working in partnership with the Province of British Columbia, we can deliver mixed-income communities in the middle of a Vancouver single-family neighbourhood. Partnerships like this one deepen affordability while making room for more of our neighbours across all of Metro Vancouver.”

Quick Facts:

• The Province provided $6.7 million in capital funding and $13.3 million in construction financing for the project.
• Metro Vancouver’s contribution to the first phase of the Heather Place redevelopment is $21.3 million.
• Working with  partners, the Province has opened or initiated nearly 3,700 new affordable homes for people with a range of incomes in Vancouver since 2017:
  • housing for people with middle incomes: 135 homes
  • housing for people with low to moderate incomes, including families, seniors and Indigenous peoples: 2,518 homes
  • housing for women and children leaving violence: 73 homes
  • housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness: 957 homes

Learn More:

A map showing the location of all announced provincially funded housing projects in B.C. is online: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC

To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/

Metro Vancouver Housing is one of the largest non-profit housing providers in the region, currently providing safe and affordable housing for over 9,400 people at 49 sites. For more information, visit: http://www.metrovancouver.org/services/housing/Pages/default.aspx

A backgrounder follows.