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Plan includes $150,000 worth of housing projects in Comox Valley

Directors at the Feb. 11 Regional District Committee of the Whole meeting approved the 2020-2024 action plan of the Comox Valley Coalition to End Homelessness.
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The Comox Valley Coalition to End Homelessness 2020-2024 action plan includes $150,000 worth of housing projects. File photo

Directors at the Feb. 11 Regional District Committee of the Whole meeting approved the 2020-2024 action plan of the Comox Valley Coalition to End Homelessness.

The plan includes the following housing projects, with non-profit lead agencies in brackets:

•$45,000 towards the purchase of a six bedroom dwelling with supports for women in recovery and their infant children (Comox Valley Transition Society);

•$90,000 towards a three bedroom condominium unit for a family (Dawn to Dawn Action on Homelessness Society);

•$10,000 towards construction of two single family dwellings (Habitat for Humanity Vancouver Island North);

•$5,000 for pre-construction planning costs for 20-24 subsidized one bedroom and studio units for elders (Wachiay Friendship Centre).

The coalition defines affordable as paying no more than 30 per cent of income on housing and basic utilities, co-ordinator Andrea Cupelli said.

“Every unit of affordable housing helps reduce or prevent homelessness in our community,” she said.

Since 2016, through the Homelessness Supports Service Fund, Cupelli notes that 75 units of affordable housing have been built across the continuum of housing needs in the Comox Valley.

“The number increases to 132 if we include all affordable housing that has been built in total,” she said. “We know this is merely a drop in the pond of what is needed.

“We look forward to learning the results of the Regional District’s Housing Needs Assessment to get a more comprehensive picture of housing needs in our community. The coalition will continue to work with all levels of government and non-profit organizations to continue to advocate for that.”

READ: Needs assessment to identify gaps…