City of Prince Rupert outlines additional notes towards BC Bid call for expressions of interest on twin housing proposals

A statement issued today by the City of Prince Rupert, has helped to explain further towards a pair of items placed on the provincial BC Bid websites, which call for expressions of interest towards a pair of lots in the downtown area towards development for Non Market housing.

As we outlined on Tuesday, the BC Bid call for Expressions of Interest was placed on the provincial website on Monday, identifying the lot across from Northern Savings Credit Union and the lot that currently is the  host of the debris from the Belmont Hotel as the two locations of note.

Seniors Non Market Housing is proposed for the
Third Avenue and McBride lot

Non market housing is proposed for the 700 Block of
Third Avenue West 

The Housing initiative  is noted by the city as part of their Interim Housing Strategy, and designed to act swiftly on available funding  opportunities and create the right conditions for housing development.

Today's statement from the City, provides for the first public comment on the topic and outlines the string of elements that will have to follow before we may see any construction take place.

Included on that list, the realization that they are fully funding dependent and will only be able to move forward if selected as part of the Federal Rapid Housing Initiative.

Click to enlarge 

The statement also noted of their ongoing work with BC Housing to proceed as efficiently as possible with their current housing development in the Kootenay area. 

The stalled housing plans there was a topic we explored last week, with a look at the state of the projects in that area as BC Housing viewed it.

The themes from today's statements didn't make it into the dialogue of Thursday's Committee of the Whole session which saw the council members hear first hand of the challenges at the moment for housing in the community. 

That as housing advocates Paul Lagace and Arnold Nagy as well as a delegation from the Harbourview Apartments provided some insight to the issue of renovictions and the turmoil of the moment for renters in Prince Rupert.

And while today's statement is very much forward thinking as they would say, sharing some of the potential themes on Monday may have helped to provide some optimism towards a few solutions to the many housing challenges for those speaking to Council and the larger community.

The City's statement also notes that more information on the city's Housing strategy is available for review here.

You can review the BC Bid Package from the BC Bid website here. 

The two housing related items have ID numbers of 157102 and 157103.

More notes on Housing in the Prince Rupert area can be explored here. 

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.