Brechin United Church in Nanaimo, where the province announced construction will start in June for 74 new affordable housing units as part of redevelopment on the site located on Estevan Drive. Photo courtesy Brechin United Church.
The provincial government’s new HousingHub has entered into a partnership with the United Church of Canada to create 74 new affordable rental homes in Nanaimo.
HousingHub is a division of B.C. Housing that looks for partnerships to build new housing for rent or purchase for middle-income British Columbians.
Construction for the units is expected to start in June at Brechin United Church on Estevan Road and housing is for those with incomes between $28,160 and $82.416.
The rental rate is projected to be between $700 and $2,000.
The province announced more than 400 total new homes will be built through the partnership in Nanaimo, Coquitlam, Richmond and Vancouver.
“The United Church in B.C. has more property than we need,” United Church of Canada property resource team lead in B.C. Terry Harrison said.
“Working families and individuals need affordable, quality, purpose-built rental housing, and our partnership with the HousingHub will help us to leverage select church properties to do just that.”
“Building affordable homes for middle-income people is key to tackling the housing crisis, and we have to work together to get it done,” said Premier John Horgan in Coquitlam.
Horgan and Housing Minister Selina Robinson announced the government’s 30-point housing affordability plan.
As part of its 2018 budget, the province committed $20 million to create HousingHub.
Andy Neal
