VICTORIA, B.C. — The Capital Regional District (CRD) has instructed local municipal and electoral area staff to identify appropriately zoned land or properties for sale that could be used to house the region’s homeless.
The CRD is looking for situations that meet the criteria for funding under the Government of Canada’s Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI). The RHI was announced Oct. 27 and has budgeted $13.1 million is for the CRD’s efforts to end homelessness on Vancouver Island.
The properties would be used to develop affordable housing projects.
“This funding is an amazing opportunity to create at least 52 units of new permanent housing,” said CRD board chair Colin Plant in a press release. “It is important that potential land be identified quickly so we can meet the funding requirements and proceed with the development and implementation of projects.”
According to the CRD, it must develop and submit an investment plan to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) by Nov. 27 outlining the capital projects that will be built as part of the program.
The funding can be used for the:
- acquisition of land and the construction of affordable multi-residential modular housing units;
- acquisition of land and buildings for the purpose of conversion of non-residential into affordable multi-residential housing units; and
- acquisition of land and buildings in disrepair or abandoned for the rehabilitation into affordable multi-residential housing units.
The CRD also noted it has contacted BC Housing to investigate the potential to leverage the funding with other provincial programs.
If approved, the CRD would have to complete the projects and have them filled with tenants within one year. If it fails, CMHC may request that unused funds be returned.
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