A municipal group focused on affordable housing has been formed separate from Sicamous’ Housing Committee to streamline discussions about housing projects in the community.
Since the Sicamous Housing Needs Assessment last January found the lack of long-term housing to be the major problem facing the district, affordable housing projects have been top of mind for council and the housing committee.
The committee is currently working with Eagle Valley Senior Citizens Housing Society on plans to build a 36-unit housing complex, deciding on what portions of land will be used and how to allocate it.
Chief administrative officer Kelly Bennett pitched a working group to council at the Jan. 11 meeting, consisting of herself, development services manager Scott Beeching, Couns. Siobhan Rich and Malcolm Makayev and two board members from the Eagle Valley Senior Citizens Housing Society, president Kelly Hesleton and vice-president Judy Moore.
This working group will meet on an as-needed basis to go over smaller details concerning housing projects like the 36-unit complex to expedite projects without having to wait to go through council twice a month, Bennett said. She also said the group should focus on one project at a time, and possibly form a different group with related members for each housing project that starts.
The formation of the group was unanimously approved at the meeting.
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