Penticton council's modular housing decision 'disappointing': B.C. Housing

The provincial housing authority is not ruling out building a proposed housing project at Skaha Lake Road and Green Avenue, even after city council voted against rezoning one of three properties intended for the project.

B.C. Housing called the council’s ruling “disappointing,” but said it will be working with the City of Penticton to “determine the best location” for the 52-unit facility, noting the urgency of the city’s housing crisis.

Council sent staff back to the drawing board following a lengthy public hearing Tuesday, after receiving a proposal from B.C. Housing for the 52-unit project, built by modular construction, to be placed at the corner of Green Avenue and Skaha Lake Road.

That project would have joined another 46 units at a B.C. Housing transitional housing project at that same corner, where the authority owns two properties. Up for debate in council was the rezoning of a third property, currently zoned for duplexes.

During the public hearing on Tuesday, both city planner Blake Laven and B.C. Housing regional manager Ann Howard said the Crown corporation could build the facility on the two properties it already owns at that location, which are zoned for higher density.

However, Howard said the goal was to have more space for a less cramped facility. In an email statement, B.C. Housing said it is working with city staff to determine the best location for the project, and did not rule out simply building the facility at the previously proposed location, without that third property.

“It was disappointing to learn that city council did not approve re-zoning for our 52 units of modular housing. We’ve had an incredible response to this program across the province and have recently seen a number of projects approved or opened with community support,” the B.C. Housing statement said.

“Given the urgent need for supportive housing in Penticton, with last fall’s count identifying 163 people who were homeless or at risk of homelessness, we will continue to work with the city and our partners in the community to identify the best location for this project.”

Council largely sided with the neighbours of the proposed site, who said an additional 52 units of housing would have been too many for that location, which would have added up to 98 solely from B.C. Housing.

Similarly, nearly 60 units of housing are located at three neighbouring motels, but residents fear those will be torn down to be redeveloped. Those three properties were recently sold to developers with ties to major, upscale projects.

Neighbours and councillors were especially concerned with the proposal’s location near three schools, something Howard said was typically not an issue. She noted during the public hearing that a number of B.C. Housing’s facilities are near schools and opposition within the community tends to diminish over time after their implementation.

Penticton Mayor Andrew Jakubeit told the Western News following Tuesday’s meeting that he would hope to see a new proposal from B.C. Housing as soon as possible — potentially by the end of next month.