UBCM: Habitat for Humanity In BC Communities

Sept. 18, 2019

Habitat for Humanity is working with the Province and municipal and First Nations governments across BC to deliver affordable home ownership opportunities for people leaving social housing to pursue homeownership. They will have a trade show booth at Convention.

Recent Success Stories:

City of Coquitlam

Habitat for Humanity’s Coquitlam project is its biggest ever in BC, and will create homes for 50 hardworking families. The City of Coquitlam voted unanimously to enter into an 80-year lease with Habitat to build the homes, which is the third largest such project in Canada. This was achieved through an innovative MOU creating a framework that allowed the City and Habitat to move toward a formal binding lease, as well as quickly process the legal agreements required to complete the project.

Lumby

In return for land, Habitat provided capital upgrades for the village (a water line extension and a sewer repair) to service the lands.  Council was incredibly supportive and took steps to quickly update the Official Community Plan thus accommodating the build to ensure the delivery of affordable homes.

City of Saanich

Habitat and the City of Saanich built capacity in one of the highest cost real estate markets in Canada.  Habitat’s approach allowed for the concurrent delivery of affordable housing units and market units as the rezoning was contingent upon the donation of land to Habitat. This approach required that municipal leaders accept a donation to Habitat as a viable alternative to collecting amenity fees. As a result, Habitat has now secured the donation of serviced land for 16 homes, over three municipalities and is in partnership with four for-profit developers.

Southeast Kootenay Region

Affordable Housing developments were achieved throughcollaboration between Habitat for Humanityand Grand Forks, Nelson, Castlegar and Greenwood.In each of these communities, there was a fiscal upside in fast tracking the projects (new tax base to draw from) and the spin-off effects of construction. In Grand Forks, Habitat built two duplexes and four single family homes (SFH) – which had all development and building fees waived – as well as a much needed 7-plex, on City donated land.

In Greenwood, the land for two single family homes was donated. In Castlegar and Nelson the municipalities donated land and Habitat built a duplex in the former and a single family home in the latter municipality.  Nelson worked with a developer to incentivize additional development on a nearby site.

Richmond:

In May 2019, Habitat for Humanity, the City of Richmond and local MLAs celebrated the delivery of five new homes, with an additional seven new homes currently under construction on the same site.

For more information about working with Habitat for Humanity, please contact either Dennis Coutts, CEO, Habitat for Humanity Greater Vancouver (604-681-5618), or Elizabeth Vannan, Chair Board of Directors (778-265-8893).

NT5