Submitted by RDCK
The Regional District of Central Kootenay has announced the launch of a regional housing needs assessment.
The project is intended to build an awareness of where housing demands and needs are most relevant within the region and allow for collaborative action toward addressing housing gaps and needs within our communities.
This work will be undertaken by M’akola Development Services and Turner Drake and Partners Ltd. as the successful proponents for this project.
“Access to adequate housing that is affordable, accessible and appropriate continues to be an issue in both our urban and rural communities,” said Aimee Watson, chair of the RDCK board of directors. “This project is an important first step toward meeting the housing needs of our communities.”
The regional housing needs assessment is the first phase in developing a regional housing action plan. It is also a relatively recent requirement under the Local Government Statutes Amendment Act, 2018, which requires local governments to develop a housing needs report every five years to better inform and understand the kind of housing most needed in their communities by identifying existing and projected gaps in housing supply.
This project will result in housing needs assessment reports for all 11 electoral areas and eight member municipalities of the RDCK. The City of Castlegar completed a housing needs assessment in 2018 and will act in an advisory capacity.
Funding to undertake this work was provided through a new grant program under the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. The RDCK was one of eight regional districts in the province to receive initial funding.
For more information on this initiative or to be included in a contact list for outreach activities, contact project manager Meeri Durand at 250-352-8162 or by email at mdurand@rdck.bc.ca or visit rdck.ca.
