(file photo/Vernon Matters Staff)

By Liam Verster

Middle-Income Housing

Bids sought to develop housing on public land in Kelowna

Apr 29, 2024 | 11:50 AM

The province is freeing up local public land to provide more space for housing projects.

The B.C. government is seeking proposals for pre-zoned housing sites on public lands in Kelowna and several other municipalities.

The sites, including property at 1428 St. Paul St. in Kelowna, have been added to the B.C. Builds property list in an effort to fast-track more rental homes for middle-income British Columbians.

“Our communities and our economy depend on middle-income people like teachers, nurses and construction workers, and they depend on being able to find a decent place to live within their budget,” Premier David Eby said.

“By bringing together public landowners and housing developers and operators through BC Builds, we are transforming underused public land throughout the province into thousands of lower-cost, middle-income rental homes.:

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The BC Builds plan aims to build more homes middle-income earners can afford through low-interest financing, grant funding, and by building on underused land owned by governments, communities, and non-profits.

The province is seeking developers to bid on the sites and provide housing options that would cost middle-class citizens no more than 30 per cent of their income to rent.

“We’re dealing with a housing crisis and governments must play an active role together with non-profits and the private sector to build as much housing as possible,” Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing, said.

“BC Builds is getting British Columbia back into the game of building middle-income housing as quickly as possible by connecting public lands with homebuilders and non-profit housing operators.”

The pre-zoned sites planned for these projects include the site in Kelowna; a property at 377 Tranquille Road in Kamloops; three properties in Langley; one site in Sooke; one property in North Cowichan; and one lot in Elkford.

Developers wishing to bid on the projects can find more information at the B.C. government’s website.