The McCullogh II building in downtown Vernon has 48 affordable units for local seniors. (Liam Verster/Vernon Matters Staff)

By Liam Verster

48 Affordable Units

Affordable homes open for Vernon seniors

Aug 2, 2023 | 10:59 AM

A project offering affordable housing for seniors in Vernon is complete.

The 48-unit McCulloch II building at 3404 Coldstream Avenue in Vernon is providing affordable living options to seniors with low to moderate incomes.

Rents are based on the unit size and tenant income, ranging from $375 to $900 a month.

“Valuable seniors housing projects like the McCulloch building are only possible through strategic partnerships, like the one our government has with Vernon Pensioner’s Accommodation Society,” Ravi Kahlon, minister of housing, said.

“Our government is building housing at a historic rate, and the McCulloch buildings are part of our work to boost the number of affordable, quality homes for seniors in Vernon and throughout the province.”

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The four-storey apartment building consists of 42 one-bedroom units and six accessible one-bedroom homes for people living with disabilities.

Of those units, 33 have rent-geared-to-income rates, where rent is set at 30 per cent of the household income. Nine of these units are for residents with very low incomes, such as those receiving income or disability assistance.

The remaining 15 units are available at below market rate for moderate income households.

This was the second and final phase of the McCulloch Court seniors housing development and is connected to the original McCulloch building on the corner of Coldstream Avenue and 34th Street in downtown Vernon.

“The housing crisis is affecting everyone in B.C., including seniors, which is why our government is working hard to build more good affordable homes that people can rely on,” Harwinder Sandhu, Parliamentary secretary for Seniors’ Services and Long-Term Care, and MLA for Vernon-Monashee, stated.

“Having 48 new affordable rental homes on Coldstream Avenue become available to seniors in our community is such great news. I am proud of the meaningful investments that our government makes, which will benefit seniors and families in Vernon and the Okanagan for years to come.”

The building, which is within walking distance of amenities such as a grocery store, seniors’ centre, pharmacies, the recreation centre, public transit, and a drop-in-clinic is owned and operated by the Vernon Pensioner’s Accommodation Society.

“After 16-plus years of persistence, we are pleased to see our new 48-suite facility ready to move into,” Ray Ivey, board president of the Vernon Pensioner’s Accommodation Society, said.

“Special acknowledgment to our staff and directors for their devotion and energy they have committed to this project. Also, special acknowledgment to the taxpayers of British Columbia, BC Housing, Terra Housing, Scuka Construction and the City of Vernon.”

Tenants began moving into McCullough II in June, and the building is expected to be fully rented out by the end of the summer.

Through B.C. Housing, the province invested $5.2-million in the project through the Building B.C. Community Housing Fund. The province is also providing approximately $410,000 in annual operating funding. The Vernon Pensioner’s Accommodation Society provided land for the project, which was valued at approximately $708,000, as well as $250,000 in equity for the construction of the building. The City of Vernon also waived approximately $404,000 in municipal and regional levies for this project.

Vernon Matters has requested a comment from the Ministry of Housing regarding the number of units that had already been filled by August 2, as well as the average rental rates tenants were paying.