Details on how the Columbia Basin Trust affordable housing project is delivered in the Greater Trail region will be revealed in a meeting later this month in Castlegar.
The April 27 gathering on the Affordable Rental Housing initiative (ARHi) is an information session on what parameters the call for proposal submissions for housing projects should include to be considered for funding under the initiative.
In late March the Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) announced it would pool $10 million for rental housing ventures to help solve the housing crunch afflicting most corners of the Kootenays.
It was the first leg of the process that continues April 27 in Castlegar at the Fireside Inn (1 p.m.).
“Whatever proposals can come forward to make these units happen, we welcome those submissions,” said Delphi Hoodicoff, director of communications with the CBT.
Every creative submission will be examined and given its due in order to support construction of new affordable rental housing projects in communities across the Columbia Basin, Hoodicoff said.
The call for proposals is intended for non-profit societies or private operators interested in partnering with BC Housing to provide housing with support services.
And the money is there. Using a combined $5 million in investment over three years from the federal and provincial governments, a further $5 million has been added to that sum by the CBT through a separate funding agreement with the province.
There will be two intakes for proposals, one this spring and another next year, after which the program will be assessed to see where it is at and how much money is left in the ARHi pot.
BC Housing has posted the Request for Pre-Qualification (RFPQ) of Affordable Rental Housing proposals which can be viewed at:
http://www.bchousing.org/Partners/Calls/Interior_Region
All queries and information requests about the RFPQ are to be made in writing only to the BC Housing contact Mike Lachocki via email at Purchasing@bchousing.org.