New affordable homes for seniors, people with disabilities and others are opening in Nanaimo this month.
One-bedroom units at 77 Mill St. and townhomes at 3425 Uplands Dr. are set to open in mid September, noted a press release Wednesday from the B.C. Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
At Mill Street, 57 apartments for seniors are set to open at a complex operated by the Nanaimo Affordable Housing Society.
The Uplands project is a partnership with the Nanaimo Association for Community Living and will include 12 accessible homes for people with developmental disabilities, supported by four full-time staff members. There are 16 other townhomes on the property, too.
Sheila Malcolmson, Nanaimo MLA, said in a press release that the Mill Street and Uplands Drive projects will provide much-needed safe, affordable housing for seniors and adults with disabilities.
“These projects will change lives, and I’m grateful to our community partners for working hard so more people have a place to call home in our community,” Malcolmson said.
The Mill Street apartments were built with $8 million in capital funding and $3.3 million in construction financing on land owned by the affordable housing society. Apartments there will have monthly rents ranging from $935-$1,135, including utilities and other services such as internet access and cable TV.
“We have worked diligently to enable these units to be offered at affordable rents with so many amenities included,” said Andrea Blakeman, chief executive officer of Nanaimo Affordable Housing Society. “Now more than ever, seniors need to be connected in every way possible with family, friends and services.”
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Affordable housing project for people with disabilities breaks ground in #Nanaimo https://t.co/G4ZBbuW6PO
— Nanaimo Bulletin (@NanaimoBulletin) July 19, 2019
The Uplands townhomes were built on land owned by NACL, with the province providing $4.9 million in capital funding and $1.9 million in construction financing and the City of Nanaimo offering $95,000 in municipal waivers.
Monthly rents for the units for residents with developmental disabilities will be $500, and $880 for other residents.
Randy Humchitt, deputy executive director of Nanaimo Association for Community Living, said for many of the association’s clients, it has been a lifelong dream for them to have their own home.
“This project represents the continued evolution of services for people with diverse abilities; a movement towards inclusion and honouring that the people we serve want and deserve housing options that are as diverse as they are,” he said.
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