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NEWS RELEASE | |
For Immediate Release 2020MAH0070-001160 June 24, 2020 |
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing |
Province purchases properties in Vancouver to provide more affordable housing | |
VANCOUVER – The Province, through BC Housing, has purchased the 110-room Howard Johnson Hotel at 1176 Granville St. as part of a long-term plan to build a mix of affordable homes for people in Vancouver. “Housing is the foundation of people’s lives and of healthy, safe communities,” said Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “We’re taking action to build more affordable rental homes in Vancouver, as we continue to provide supportive housing and health care to people right now. There’s a real need for housing for people with different incomes, from young families to seniors, and we’ll be engaging with the community on how we can use this site to deliver urgently needed homes.” In the interim, the Howard Johnson site will operate as temporary supportive housing while long-term plans are developed. BC Housing will connect with partners and the community to begin the conversation about how the site and the adjacent parking lot can be used to tackle the housing crisis and build a mix of homes for people in Vancouver. “The purchase of these hotels holds great short- and long-term potential for providing much-needed safe and secure housing that goes beyond four walls and a bed,” said Shane Simpson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction. “We are working to develop a model of supportive housing that meets people’s needs with appropriate health, mental health and addictions supports, and creates opportunities to live a safer, healthier life as part of a community.” The Province has also purchased the 63-room Buchan Hotel at 1906 Haro St. to provide housing with supports for women. The site is empty, and residents will begin moving into the Buchan in July. Atira Women’s Resource Society will operate the housing at both hotels, which include wraparound supports where people have access to services such as meals, health care, addictions treatment and harm reduction, as well as storage for personal belongings. The sites also have 24/7 staffing to provide security to residents of the building and the surrounding neighbourhood. ”Atira is thrilled to be a partner in this essential housing,” said Janice Abbott, CEO, Atira Group. “Especially at this time, it’s even more important that we all come together to ensure people’s fundamental right to housing is honoured, while at the same time, ensuring that the health and well-being of everyone, including people traditionally marginalized by mainstream society, is paramount.” BC Housing is setting up a new community dialogue group that will oversee the supportive housing’s integration within the community and will address any concerns raised by people in the neighbourhood. “The COVID-19 pandemic has put into even-sharper focus our urgent need for housing, especially for our most vulnerable neighbours,” said Kennedy Stewart, mayor, City of Vancouver. “These hotel rooms will provide immediate safety and shelter while we work with the Province and the community to develop the long-term vision. Now, more than ever, we must come together to make sure all our neighbours are safe and supported, and I cannot thank the Government of B.C. enough for its leadership.” These purchases are part of the Province’s ongoing actions to provide housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness and build on the more than 780 supportive homes that have been opened in Vancouver in the last two years. In Vancouver, BC Housing and its partners are also operating various temporary housing options in hotels and shelter facilities to serve vulnerable people in Vancouver during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Province will continue to support people after the COVID-19 pandemic and these homes deliver on that commitment. Quick Facts:
Learn More: For an overview of BC Housing’s work to monitor and respond to COVID-19, visit: https://www.bchousing.org/COVID-19 For more information and latest medical updates on COVID-19, follow the BCCDC on Twitter @CDCofBC or visit its website: http://www.bccdc.ca/ For more information on non-medical issues like travel recommendations and how to manage social isolation, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/COVID-19 Two backgrounders follow. |
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Contacts: | |
Media Relations Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing 778 584-1255 | Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction Media Relations 250 889-9742 |
Laura Mathews BC Housing 604 439-8571 |
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BACKGROUNDER 1 | |
For Immediate Release 2020MAH0070-001160 June 24, 2020 |
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing |
Services and supports provided for modular housing | |
All new modular housing buildings in the province have around-the-clock staffing to help young people, people with disabilities, seniors and others in critical need of housing. The Province is providing annual operating funding to help those with the highest housing needs to build new beginnings. Experienced staff provide support to tenants based on their assessed needs. Services and supports provided to young people, seniors, people with disabilities and others who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, include:
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Contacts: | |
Media Relations Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing 778 584-1255 | Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction Media Relations 250 889-9742 |
Laura Mathews BC Housing 604 439-8571 |
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BACKGROUNDER 2 | |
For Immediate Release 2020MAH0070-001160 June 24, 2020 |
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing |
Province building new homes to meet full spectrum of housing needs | |
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 23,000 new homes are complete, 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 Dec. 31, 2019, this includes: Housing for people with middle incomes
Housing for people with low to moderate incomes This includes people residing in social housing (household incomes less than $65,000) as well as those living in affordable market rentals (households with annual incomes up to $74,000) – 9,837 homes: Affordable market:
Social housing or subsidized rents:
Housing for people with very low incomes Rental housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, or for people with very low incomes (includes supportive housing and shelter-rate housing) – 4,795 homes:
Housing for students – 5,584 homes:
Total: 23,018 homes |
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Contacts: | |
Media Relations Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing 778 584-1255 | Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction Media Relations 250 889-9742 |
Laura Mathews BC Housing 604 439-8571 |