After 20 + years the Kaslo Housing Society has secured the cornerstone of the funding that will make our project to construct a small apartment building in downtown Kaslo possible.

BCHousing has just announced that our application for support under the Building BC: Community Housing Fund has been approved.

It will happen – new, safe, comfortable affordable rental housing in Kaslo!

The KHS Board (Erika Bird – Chair, Wanda Ammon – Vice Chair, John Rasmussen – Treasurer, Christine Parton – Secretary, Gerry Devine – Director, Alexandra Halliday – Director)  is beyond grateful, happy, nervous and resolved (there were some tears, and for me Erika, KHS Chair, a spell of hyperventilating.)

Our application to BC Housing was successful because we stand on the shoulders of 20+ years of dedicated Kaslo Housing Society directors – and we’ve had the good fortune of being able to work with Ian Dunlop, Kaslo’s CAO, Mayor Suzan Hewat and Kaslo Council, and Aimee Watson, RDCK Director, Area D (Ian, Suzan and Aimee are pictured below with KHS Chair, Erika Bird.)

For the past couple of years Kaslo Housing Society has benefited from the guidance and expertise of our development partners, New Commons Development. We can’t say enough about how positive (and successful!) this partnership has been for KHS. We’d be remiss not to mention Kevin Flaherty, our recent housing coordinator, who got this ball rolling. And a big shout-out to Tara Clapp, who worked tirelessly on behalf of KHS to get our application for funding to BC Housing ready to submit.

Some details: The 3-storey 10-unit wood frame building has been designed by Christine Ross of Sanca to be in character with neighbouring heritage buildings in Kaslo’s downtown.  Located behind the Kemball Memorial Centre, it doesn’t have a street address yet, just a working title – Penny Lane Apartments. Measuring approximately 7,500 SF in area, the site fronts onto A Avenue and backs onto Penny Lane.

The Village of Kaslo (current owner of the land) has offered the site to the society at a nominal cost. Village staff are in the process now of consolidating the 3-25 ft lots, and reviewing the Purchase & Sale Agreement. Re-zoning of the property (with its attendant public process) will happen soon.

One unit will be a three-bedroom apartment. There will also be two 2-bedroom units, five 1-bedroom units and 2 studio apartments.

Kaslo Housing Society will be the operator of the building. The 2- and 3-bedroom units will be suitable for families. For the studio and 1-bedroom units, the Society expects to attract low-income individuals and couples, and seniors and persons with disabilities who are able to live independently. Two of the ground floor units will be wheelchair accessible. 2 of the units will be “deep subsidy” rentals, 5 will have rents geared to income, and 3 of the apartments will be rented at market rates.

This is very exciting! Expect to hear more about this project and the public consultation process soon. We have lots to look forward to.