As part of the City of Castlegar’s housing strategy, 14 people have been appointed to a Housing Committee.
Appointees will serve two-year terms. They represent a diverse group of organizations and population demographics.
Committee members:
Dan Rye — city council
Maria McFaddin — city council
Kady Hunter — Interior Health Authority
Dana Hawkins — Regional District of Central Kootenay
Tammy Verigin-Burke — business community
Dan Shields — seniors
LeeAnn Zaitsoff — youth and students
Elaine Pura — Habitat for Humanity
Justine Cohen — Canadian Mental Health Association
Kristein Johnson — Castlegar and District Community Services
Deb McIntosh — Community Harvest Food Bank
Kathleen Elias — Kootenay Society for Community Living
Kailee Ross — Castlegar Villa Society
James MacKay — West Kootenay Landlord’s Society
The city is also looking for additional members to represent Selkirk College, the Circle of Indigenous Nations Society, Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy, real estate and developers in order to balance out the committee.
The city has recently contracted Resilience Planning to help develop their housing strategy.
The city says the objective of the housing strategy will be to provide a framework to implement and prioritize actions to promote the delivery of housing through community participation, partnership and innovation.
The city undertook a housing needs assessment in 2018. It identified those experiencing the greatest challenges regarding housing within the community as low-income seniors, low-income families, students, people who are experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness, persons with disabilities and vulnerable women.
Advisory Planning and Board of Variance
Reidun Rosi, Sandi McCreight and Sarah VanderPloeg have been appointed to the Advisory Planning Commission for two-year terms.
The Advisory Planning Commission advises council on matters concerning land use, community planning, proposed bylaws and permits.
Carl Sayers has been appointed to the Board of Variance for a three-year term. The Board of Variance deals with applications to vary a zoning bylaw or land use bylaw on the grounds of hardship.
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