The Town of Lake Cowichan will receive an $885,750 grant from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Housing Accelerator Fund to help develop affordable housing projects in the community.
In a report to town council, CAO Joseph Fernandez said that, coincidentally, Habitat for Humanity has been recently expressing a desire to build affordable housing in Lake Cowichan.
He said he met with Habitat for Humanity’s executive director from its mid-island branch in January in which different options were explored, and Habitat’s preferred plan is to build 24 townhouse units on a large parcel within Lake Cowichan.
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“[Habitat for Humanity] is not averse to a rental-only zoning designation for the property,” Fernandez said.
“Habitat is expected to make a presentation of its proposal to council this fall. The plan is to rent the units at very affordable rates. A rezoning application will be required and the speed with which we can accomplish this in comparison to other communities makes Lake Cowichan an attractive option.”
Fernandez said it’s time that council focuses on the need to address the issue of affordable and decent housing for all its citizens through agencies such as Habitat for Humanity.
He said stop-gap measures where residents are permitted to occupy sub-standard accommodation facilities that are not conducive to year-round human habitation cannot be viewed as a long-term viable solution.
“The housing crisis can potentially be reduced by organizations such as Habitat for Humanity if we create the appropriate environment conducive to solving that issue and, in tangent, establish conditions for affordable housing through appropriate enactments,” Fernandez said.
“Our target under the Housing Accelerator Fund contribution agreement is to see 95 housing units completed by March 31, 2027.”
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To qualify for the HCF grant, the town was required to commit to a number of initiatives, including allowing increased density on single lots, expanding the zones in which secondary suites are permitted, and allowing the approval of permits without a rezoning hearing for affordable housing projects that are consistent with Lake Cowichan’s official community plan.
Mayor Tim McGonigle said at the council meeting in January that it’s nice to see steps toward providing more affordable housing in the town are coming to fruition, especially considering the lack of rental housing units in the community.
“We’ve been in sessions with Habitat for Humanity for many years looking at some densification within possible projects coming forward,” he said.
“Hopefully, the new rental units will allow people to be able to stay within the community they grew up in.”
Coun. Aaron Frisby asked Fernandez if there are agencies other than Habitat for Humanity that the town could contact to help provide affordable housing in Lake Cowichan.
“There are, but they haven’t come to us because they’re more focused on bigger cities,” Fernandez replied.