New affordable housing project puts council on the spot
By Timothy Schafer
A proposed affordable housing project perched on the edge of the city’s downtown is expected to test the resolve of many city councillors who were elected on the issue of creating more low income housing in the city.
Jim Reimer of Kootenay Christian Fellowship and Robert Stacey with COVER Architectural Collaborative Inc. presented a vision of the 40-unit SHARE Housing Initiative at 520 Falls Street — just off of Baker Street behind the bowling alley — to city council at their committee of the whole meeting Monday night.
In delivering the project vision to council, Reimer challenged city councillors to make good on their campaign claims to place affordable housing creation as a paramount task on their to-do lists.
“The location is prime, the views are incredible and the opportunity is now. And the opportunity is real,” he said about the project. “Here is an early opportunity to support something tangible,” and make good on campaign promises.
Reimer said he has had some “very positive discussions” with Columbia Basin Trust and other funding partners — and BC Housing has given verbal confirmation regarding project financing — but all are waiting for a major player like the city to commit its support.
“So we need someone to step up,” he said. “We are feeling really confident that we are going to have a good plan at the end of the day, so we are hoping the city can lend their support at this initial stage.”
Reimer asked for a letter in principle of support for the project from the city so he could begin lining up funding partners, and nailing down grants.
Council moved that city staff prepare a letter of support for the project to bring back to the next regular council meeting so it could debate offering support.
The $6.5-million project will consist of a three-storey structure with two or three commercial rental units on the first floor and 40 rental units on the second and third floors.
The goal of the initiative is to provide minimum or low wage earners quality housing in the downtown core that falls into the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) 30 per cent (or less) range of gross income affordability.
Reimer said two of the greatest perceived housing needs in Nelson are ‘at risk’ youth and young adults (18-22 year old age group,) seniors and single adults at risk of homelessness because their income is below affordable rental rates in Nelson.
Reimer said Kootenay Christian Fellowship (KCF) would own the property and all units — a mix of bachelor and one-bedroom units — will be managed by a subsidiary of KCF. All units are to be self contained and will carry monthly rents ranging from $600 to $800.
According to preliminary financial modelling estimates, annual cash flow from rents is expected to be approximately just over $500,000.
Based on the project’s cash flow, the SHARE Housing Initiative (SHI) will determine the amount of debt finance that can be accessed, and then apply for grant funding and no-interest or low-interest loans for the balance.
“Development of this site and this project are realistic and feasible,” said Stacey. “KCF owns the site, and there are no known development constraints.”
After a preliminary meeting with the city in August, a fall meeting will carry a detailed request from the SHI regarding the project.
Kootenay Community Voter Challenge
A federal election is approaching and a Nelson group is looking to make sure voter turnout is greater than it has historically been.
Representatives of the Kootenay Community Voter’s Challenge took time Monday night to discuss with council how to increase democratic interest and engagement, and invite younger citizens and non-voters to engage in the whole democratic process.
Through the Kootenay Community Voter’s Challenge, other communities in the region will be challenged to see who can most increase voter turn out from the previous election in 2011. Nelson came in at 62 per cent of eligible voters casting an ‘X,’ four per cent below the provincial average of 66 per cent.
“I think we think of ourselves as above average of engaged in the political process and we aren’t,” said Challenge representative Kiara Lynch.
She said the challenge would be for Mayor Deb Kozak (or city council) to challenge other municipal government leaders in the Kootenay and Boundary regions to turn up their voter turn out, leaving the option for other communities to join in afterwards.
“It will be done in the spirit of community-building, using creative ways to catch the community’s imagination,” said Lynch.
Inventive prizes can be decided upon for the winning community.
Council referred approval of the project to the next regular council meeting.
The venture is entirely non-partisan; it is about encouraging voting, regardless of how one votes, said Lynch.
Kootenay Chaos Track and Field
Matti Erickson’s recent accomplishments on the track drew some attention in council Moinday night.
The 12-year-old Nelsonite competed in Vancouver in June at a provincial track and field meet — representing the Kootenay Chaos Track and Field Club — and ran the fastest recorded 800 metres in the province for 12-year-olds with a time of 2:13:36.
Erickson also won the 80 meter, 200 meter and 300 meter hurdles.
Council has requested the opportunity to recognize and congratulate Erickson who is training with Alex Alaszonek at the Chaos club in Nelson.
Track and field has had a long absence in Nelson and was reintroduced in the spring of 2013.
Track and field was a popular sport in Nelson as the city used to have a full size track located behind the existing Civic Centre building, now current site of the NDCC Arena.
The track was eliminated when the Nelson Curling Club expanded at the east end of the Civic Centre fields and the Aquatic Centre was built in the early 1970s.
The elimination of the track force many rising track and field stars in Nelson to travel to Silver City to compete with the Trail Track and Field Club at facilities in Warfield.
