Does Summerland need and want more low income housing for seniors and families?
This question is posed in a survey being distributed this month.
Low income housing will be discussed at a public meeting planned for Jan. 25 at 7:30 p.m. at the Legion Hall, 14205 Rosedale Ave. Co-hosts for the meeting are the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 22 and the District of Summerland.
Those attending the meeting will listen to speakers and will be given surveys to complete. The surveys will also be available at the District of Summerland office, the Summerland Chamber of Economic Development and Tourism, and the Legion.
The Legion Village, operated by the Summerland Senior Citizens Housing Society, has filled its 20 suites. The Legion started looking into the question in September of 2010 when it formed an ad hoc committee.
The committee, headed by Dick Knorr, was given the task of gauging the need for affordable housing for seniors of low income and affordable housing for families.
The committee received a $10,000 grant from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to conduct the survey and has hired Bentsen Developments of Kelowna.
The survey will be designed to “get some good, hard data,” said Knorr.
Rather than simply asking if the person is in favour of low income housing, it will ask if the person would be willing to move into such a project.
“We are just going out into the market to see if there is a need and demand,” said Knorr. “We hope we have a good turnout.
