A new society focused on creating workforce housing has launched in the Central Kootenay, aiming to help moderate-income workers find attainable homes in the region.
The Kootenay Workforce Housing Society was created by Community Futures Central Kootenay.
The society will collaborate with local governments and First Nations, private developers and landowners, and other community-based housing providers to increase the supply of attainable housing for working individuals and families.
Community Futures executive director Andrea Wilkey said the initiative grew out of a longstanding regional need.
“Something we’ve been hearing for many years now is that a shortage of suitable housing in our communities is impacting our employers’ ability to recruit and retain workforce,” Wilkey said, adding that the inspiration came from the Nelson Chamber of Commerce’s Railtown Workforce Housing project.
The society will work to fill gaps that often delay workforce housing projects.
“The value we think we can bring is by approaching local governments and seeing what land they might be able to make available for the purpose of creating workforce housing, applying for federal and provincial grants to support the creation of housing, and then working with local developers to get the housing built,” Wilkey said.
Wilkey said the society’s first area of focus is Castlegar, where a feasibility study is already underway for a potential workforce housing development.
The society has approached the City of Castlegar about the possibility of using city-owned land for its first project.
Kalesnikoff will partner with the society as its construction manager, overseeing project design, manufacturing and delivery.
“We’re working with Kalesnikoff because they have been building modular workforce housing across North America, and they’re looking to showcase their product in their own backyard,” Wilkey said.
She said the society also aims to address the gap between affordable housing provided by social sector organizations and market housing, targeting moderate-income households with annual incomes around $70,000.
“We know that locally owned businesses are having difficulty attracting and retaining staff due to the lack of suitable housing, and so that’s what we’re trying to address,” Wilkey said.
“We’re not looking to duplicate the great work already being done by nonprofits — we’re looking to fill a gap and partner where we can add value.”
The society’s founding board includes president Robert Bleier, vice-president Terry Bambrick, Community Futures representative Am Naqvi, and Wilkey as secretary and treasurer.
The society has issued a request for qualifications to identify qualified and experienced organizations or individuals to provide housing operations and/or property management services for workforce housing developments.
For information about the RFQ, click here.
Additionally, the society is hosting a Building Attainable Housing symposium in Nelson on April 30, bringing together local governments, developers and community leaders to share solutions and promote collaboration on workforce housing projects.
More information can be found here.
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