The City of Kamloops and the John Howard Society of the Thompson Region have announced the plans for an affordable housing development on the corner of St. Paul Street and Fifth Avenue.
The proposed 52-unit complex will provide affordable rental housing for low- to moderate-income singles and families. Though this project is at a preliminary stage of planning, construction is expected to start in 2019.
Proud to be continuing our efforts on affordable housing in Kamloops. New housing for the downtown. Low to moderate income households. Land from @cityofkamloops, partial funding from the province, and operated by John Howard Society Thompson Region. pic.twitter.com/H1cF29ZRav
— Jen Casorso (@jencasorso) March 13, 2018
This housing project was initially planned for Royal Avenue. The John Howard Society was selected by BC Housing in 2015 to build and operate the housing development, but the property was later deemed unsuitable for the project’s density.
The city then purchased the six lots on St. Paul Street in December 2017 at a cost of $2.35 million for the purpose of affordable housing, and BC Housing is now working with the John Howard Society to prepare the housing complex for that site.
The city is proposing to rezone and subdivide the property on Royal Avenue to instead accommodate five single-family residential lots.
With the recent land deal at Spirit Square, the city says it has concluded a memorandum of understanding with BC Housing from 2015 in which it committed to providing land for 98 new affordable housing units. Read more about the Spirit Square revitalization here.
Neighbours are invited to learn more about the St. Paul Street affordable housing project at an open house on April 4 at Bedford Manor, 529 Seymour St., from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
