Habitat for Humanity Southeast BC has started building a fourplex at 560 8th Avenue in Castlegar.
A ceremonial groundbreaking took place Tuesday morning, but the work actually started a couple of weeks ago, putting the project slightly ahead of schedule.
Board chair Neil Coburn told those assembled that the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity has helped about two dozen families over the past 20 years achieve affordable home ownership.
In addition to one other project in Castlegar, they have built others in Cranbrook, Nelson, Grand Forks, and Greenwood.
“Over the last decade, the demand for affordable housing in the Kootenay-Boundary has increased dramatically and the pandemic has just added to that need,” Coburn said.
“It’s making the idea of an affordable place to live almost an impossible dream for many low income and moderate income families. This project is helping address that need in the Castlegar area.
“We’re really excited to have reached this milestone in development of the project and hope to help families move in very soon.”
Executive director Elaine Pura said they started working with the City of Castlegar in 2019 and confirmed the site in 2020. Since then, they have worked with designers and engineers to figure out the best design for the site, neighbourhood, and families that will live there.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and BC Housing will both contribute to the project, and Pura said they will soon announce additional major funders and donors.
The fourplex will have two three-bedroom units and two two-bedroom unit, with one unit will be designed to be accessible for a family with mobility challenges.
The units will be owned by partner families who will also help in their construction. Pura said they will soon be looking for individuals and groups who want to help volunteer on the build, and they hope to host special build days for companies or service organizations.
They will begin advertising next month for the four partner families to join the program. They have to meet a number of criteria, including willingness to pay a mortgage tied to their incomes. Move-in is expected in early 2023.
Pura said the build will be “highly energy efficient” and space on the north side of the site will be reserved for a pedestrian pathway to connect 8th Avenue to the alley above.
“This is a fantastic project and the city is really pleased to be a partner in this,” Mayor Kirk Duff said.
“It’s providing much-needed housing. As everybody knows, housing of all types is in high demand around here. We’re gradually, slowly but surely meeting that demand.”
Duff said it was “a bit of a chore” explaining how the project was going to work to the neighbourhood, “but I think everyone has a reasonably good understanding of what this project is about and what we’re trying to accomplish here.”