NEW SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR KELOWNA

The memorandum of understanding between the Province and the City of Kelowna commits to the construction of up to 140 units of new social and supportive housing in Kelowna. The new housing developments will be created on three sites: Boyce Crescent, Rutland Road North and Tutt Street.

Boyce Crescent & Rutland Road North

The sites at 330 Boyce Crescent and 195 Rutland Road North are City-owned and appropriately zoned.
Boyce Crescent is vacant while Rutland Road North is being used as a parking lot.
New construction will provide 30-50 self-contained units of supportive housing on each site with space for support services.
The Province will issue a proposal call this spring to select non-profit housing organizations to operate the developments.
The City will lease the sites to the successful proponents for a nominal fee for 60 years.
The City will exempt the sites from property taxes as long as they continue to provide housing and support services for people who would otherwise be at risk of homelessness.
The buildings will be designed to LEED Gold Certification or equivalent standards.

Tutt Street

2938 Tutt Street is City-owned, appropriately zoned and currently used as a parking lot.
New construction will provide approximately 36-40 self-contained, larger family-type units of transitional second-stage housing for women and children with space for support services.
New Opportunities for Women Canada Society will be the non-profit operator.
The City will lease the site to the Society for a nominal fee for 60 years.
The City will exempt the site from property taxes as long as it continues to provide housing and services for people who would otherwise be at risk of homelessness.
The building will be designed to LEED Gold Certification or equivalent standards.
City Council is committed to ensuring no net loss of parking in the area.

Process

Memorandum of understanding signed by the Province and the City on March 19, 2008.
The Province will pay all costs to design the housing through to the issuance of development and building permits, including consultant fees and disbursements for the three sites.
The Province will arrange all capital and operating funding.
The City will provide the land for redevelopment.
The City will designate a staff member to ensure the municipal approval process is expedited.

New Opportunities for Women (NOW) Canada Society

Since 1998, NOW Canada Society has been providing programs, ongoing support, safe housing and hope to sexually exploited female youth and homeless women and children from Kelowna and across the province. The Society offers safe accommodation for sexually exploited female youth and affordable, supportive housing to women, with or without children, who demonstrate a proven financial need. Over the past 10 years, NOW Canada has expanded its programs beyond safe housing to provide a comprehensive continuum of care for women and children to include a 20-bed homeless shelter, 24-hour emergency support, life skills and employability skills programs, trauma and equine therapy programs and one-on-one client support and advocacy services.

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Media contact:	Patricia Morrison BC Housing 604 314-1458	Karen Cairns City of Kelowna 250 469-8663
	Liz Talbott NOW Canada Society 250 763-3876
For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.