Taxpayers from both jurisdictions. Pick yer percentages of the cost to us.

If B.C. Housing is the new owner, watch for millions of dollars to be spent upgrading everything. When B.C. Housing is involved, the price of affordable housing is very high, to the taxpayers. It is affordable only to those who choose to accept welfare.
metalman.

Is it not on 17th ave or did they move it.

So, here we go again, the bureaucrats are taking our tax dollars to turn around and compete directly with the private landlords who are currently experiencing higher vacancy rates and rental rates that don’t cover the cost of capital invested. What is wrong with this picture.

It is not on 15th or 17th , it is on 20th . But no matter where it is I can see yet another tax increase for the good people of Prince George .

City?

I thought it says the Province purchased it.

Maybe they will turn it over to the City after the City purchases the air rights? :-)

Maybe we can get our Chinese twin to pay for it ??

So, here we go again, the bureaucrats are taking our tax dollars to turn around and compete directly with the private landlords who are currently experiencing higher vacancy rates and rental rates that don’t cover the cost of capital invested. What is wrong with this picture.

“Is it not on 17th ave or did they move it.”

No, they found that it cost less to move the street signs. … the government is on an austerity program,

Vote buying in Government dole dependent Prince George rages on.

“dole dependency” is rampant in B.C. probably in other provinces as well.
metalman.

New owner..needs new name

-Hood Heights
-fareWel Towers
-Dole Domicile
-Single Mom Central

I hope it will improve the area. I know some good people that work hard for minimum wage and could use a safer place to live that also put more food on their kids table.

It is affordable housing for a lot of people and it will provide warm secure shelter for those that cannot afford it. This is a good thing for Prince George and you’re right it does come from all BC tax payers pockets. The money is going where it was intended. That isn’t to say I’ll be voting for the Lieberals in May but this is the first good move they made since getting into office.

Having absolutely no faith in anything that the Liberal Government does anymore, I seriously question the purchase of this building.

1. There was significant fire damage, and the cost of renovations will be astronomical. Probably more than the $3.2 Million they claim.

2. Low Income housing in high rise apartments, are likely to attract the wrong people. I would sooner see low income housing closer to the ground, say one or two story buildings, and not row housing.

3. Once the Province takes over this building. We the City lose the tax dollars that it generates. There may be some sort of grant from the Provincial Government, however that is still our tax dollar. Much better to have private taxes, that Government grants.

4. Who owned the building prior to the purchase by the Province??? Seems to me this is a great deal for the previous owner. Hopefully at some point we will get more information.

5. Is the Government providing low income housing in other areas of the Region or are they just doing it in Prince George?

6. At $11 Million dollars for 93 Units we are looking at a cost of over $118,000.00 per unit. Seems to me that the Government already gives low income earners some relief on their rental payments.

So the question is. Why buy this building???

Take a course in basic economics and you soon learn that having unemployment and a welfare class puts downward pressure on wages as those at the lower end of the wage spectrum grow concerned that they might join the unemployed and end up on welfare themselves.
Please keep in mind that despite what you may think, not everyone on welfare wants to be. So, if you’ve got a problem with folks being on the dole, protest to Jimmy Pattison and the Fraser Institute. Better yet, be a job creator and hire anyone you know who is collecting welfare – I’m sure you’ll earn their gratitude.

This will provide a control in who rents the units and stricter rules in place for the tennants so could end up helping spruce up the neighbourhood.

Palupo – your posts are always full of “probably” and “I suspect” and “seems to me” comments. Can you tell me based on anything why you figure that the renovations will be higher than the estimate? Why is a highrise “likely” to attract the “wrong people”? “seems to me this is a great deal for the previous owner” is also a useless statement unless you know details of the sale and the insurance on the fire. It could be just as likely that they are taking a loss just to wash thier hands of it, no?

Seems like a good idea! 90 units [ probably a few caretaker suites ] times how much a month for housing on welfare? All the units will be up to code and standards; unlike the seedy “slum landlord” hovels out there.

interceptor.

1. The renovations will be higher because Governments in general and the Liberal Government in particular dont have the ability to control spending.

2. This building as mentioned in a previous posts already has some issues with gangs etc; There is no reason to beleive that it will get any better if it is run by the Government. In fact using some of the Government run or sponsored buildings in Vancouver as an example, they are nothing more than a breeding ground for all sorts of health and safety issues.
Having low income housing established through out the City close to amenities and bus routes, is a much better way to go.
The facility on 17th and Queensway, is about as big as you would want to get.

3. If it wasnt a good deal for the owner, then I suspect that he would not sell. Every business that has a fire, has issues with their insurance companies. My point is that if the Government comes up with the cash for the owner, he stands to walk away with a **win**, or at least something better than what he would have got by not selling.

4. As the old saying goes **something smells fishy in Denmark**

5. Krusty makes some good points.

Palopu we await to hear your better ideas. New buildings at much more money? We await.

It is affordable housing for a lot of people and it will provide warm secure shelter for those that cannot afford it
—————————————

I agree whole heartedley with the above staetment. Lets hope that BC Housing takees over the project. They do a greatjob of maintenace on the units in Westwood and along Ospicka. Some of the privateley owned units are a disgrace when it comes to maitenance.
Cheers

“It is affordable housing for a lot of people and it will provide warm secure shelter for those that cannot afford it. This is a good thing for Prince George and you’re right it does come from all BC tax payers pockets. The money is going where it was intended.” Well said Surefire.

This is great and I am happy to support it with my share! The new Friendship Lodge on Queensway was 8 million plus for 30 units so this deal seems reasonable to me. If the previous owner benefits, what’s wrong with a win-win? Why does there always have to be a loser and a victor? That is just negative thinking IMO.

BC Housing does do a great job and I know many families that have thrived only as a result of subsidized housing. Contrary to popular belief, it is hell being on welfare, hard to get in the system and harder to get out. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but don’t let it blind you, especially to the working poor.

As I am fortunate to have been born in Canada to great parents & a supportive large family and access to a good education, I had a fine start right off the mark. Many, many are not so fortunate, it is just an accident of birth.

I left another set of comments and perhaps because I used an epithet referring to the question of paternity, my remarks were removed. I would be rather disappointed if that was the case, given Lonesome Sparrow’s set of pejoratives:
-Hood Heights
-fareWel Towers
-Dole Domicile
-Single Mom Central

I think it preferable to use a well-worn English cuss than to attack those who might, by simple virtue of being born sans silver spoon, be dependent upon on subsidized housing.

If my comments offended someone and LS’s didn’t, there’s something wrong here.
Or perhaps it’s because I phrased some other comments within the same post, albeit in the form of a question, that gave the editor pause. Whichever, please let me know so my future comments don’t wind up purged without explanation

The thing that gets me is that people just follow the yellow ball.

Some questions we need to ask is, how many (low income) people in Prince George are in need of low income housing??

Where are they living now, and how are they paying for their rent.?

How many low income units are presently available in Prince George?

Does providing low income housing to people in Prince George attract people to this area, where they can enjoy all the amenities?

Do we have an unlimited supply of low income people in Prince George, and will we build an industry on supplying them with low income housing??

Does the Government have a plan to establish these types of facilities in the Interior, and to a lesser degree in the Metropolitan areas.

If we have such a need for low income housing, does this mean that Prince George is a depressed area??

The liberals bought the place, will use taxpayers money to fix it, then sell it off.

I started answering your questions Palupo, but soon realized the politically correct answers didn’t fit.

Krusty

Lots of proof how well(not) this type of social housing has worked south of the border with “the projects” in just about every major urban center. Same can be said for the blocks of council flats in the UK. At least they are all in one place when it is time to light a match like happened in Dublin a few years ago, I saw the result a couple of weeks after it happened was not pretty.

The building will just become a training ground for the next generation of drug users or dealers and B&E artists. Upper floors will provide a nice lookout over the hood or the Connaught neighbourhood(see today’s story.) Without a doubt there will be a dedicated police parking spot right out front.

Lonesome Sparrow, like it isn’t already like that in the hood? I don’t see low income housing as a problem. It’s more so a solution: if people aren’t struggling to afford rent, maybe they will focus on bettering their situation, take a more active role in the community, have some hope.

Nao! Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way in the real world! It is just another form of dependancy that the majority get addicted to.

I totally support this purchase and having BC Housing operate this apartment complex. They do a great job in maintaining all of their properties, and they have a lot in town.

Several years ago, my family was struggling financially, and we secure a rental unit from BC Housing. It helped a lot, as the rental cost was 30% of our gross pay. This saved us about $200-$300 per month in rent. This allowed us to get back on our feet.

Yes, there are people out there that take advantage of all programs and incentives, but there are just as many, if not more, that use these programs responsibly.

I am glad to see some positive comments on this board.
I was beginning to think it was full of cynical naysayer’s trying to pump their political views in effort to influence others.

The affordable housing is an excellent program allowing the misfortunate or people who made a mistake in their lives to have a second chance.

Good post Thunderboltz and a great success story.

I have to go now..I think I saw a yellow ball go by…lol

LS, is the air thinner up there? NEVER ever forget people, bad sh*t happens to good people and many of us are just one month without a paycheque from the welfare line…