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Penticton supports ASK Wellness Society affordable housing project

It would mean 83 subsidized housing units for seniors and families
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The City of Penticton will be issuing a letter of support for Ask Wellness Society’s planned affordable housing project for seniors and families.

ASK Wellness Society went to Penticton council on Nov. 17 to ask for their support of their planned presentation to BC Housing for funding.

Bob Hughes, the chief executive officer of the society, asked council for a letter of support, and for land in the community with a memorandum of understanding with the province.

Council unanimously approved sending the letter of support.

The proposed affordable housing project would provide 83 additional units for seniors and families with each group having their own individual building.

READ MORE: Public hearing to be held on potential downtown Penticton housing development

Hughes made the presentation to council along with the society’s operating partner on the project, CMHA South Okanagan. Liberty Construction Group and JTW Consulting are also part of the planned project.

The project would be the society’s way of answering BC Housing’s call for proposals for affordable housing. Submissions for that call would be required by mid-January 2021.

For the land and location, they are looking for 1.1 to 1.4 acres of property to fit both buildings.

The memorandum of understanding would be required because ASK Wellness is a non-profit and unable to purchase property themselves, thus relying on the city to purchase the property for them.

There would be 47 units for families, and 36 units for seniors, which Brian Hughes noted would represent 69 per cent of the need for 120 units of family and seniors housing needed as listed in the Penticton housing needs assessment published in 2017.

By placing the two buildings on a single property, one of the benefits is consolidating the services such as janitorial and utilities provided to make them more efficient.

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

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Brennan Phillips

About the Author: Brennan Phillips

Brennan was raised in the Okanagan and is thankful every day that he gets to live and work in one of the most beautiful places in Canada.
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