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Hart Seniors Meet With Housing Minister

By Elaine Macdonald

This piece of property behind the Hart Pioneer Centre, could be  the site of a new affordable housing  project for seniors

Minister Responsible for Housing, Rich Coleman, has huddled with reps from the Hart Pioneer Centre to talk about affordable housing.  The Centre has been trying for years to have affordable seniors housing built on the property which  already houses their community  centre.

Harold Iverson is the 1st Vice President of the Centre and says  housing has been the  top priority for the  group  since 1989 "We have the property, there are 4.5 acres on this site." says Iverson.  "We would like to  have some units built  that would allow seniors who need  only minor living assistance, keep their independence by being able to live in affordable housing in this area of the city."  

The problem, as Iverson sees it, is that if  they get involved  with a private developer to build units for unassisted living, the price will go through the roof, and seniors who need to live there, won't be able to afford the rent. "Many of these people worked in the  bush in their younger years, and the only real savings they have is in the equity of their homes, so if they sell their homes and had to rent at an existing facility in Prince George, they would be able to afford the rent for maybe 5 years, then what?"

Minister Responsible for Housing, Rich Coleman says he has seen this kind of scenario before "First we need to do some research on the land and see just who has title and what  covenants are in existance, then  I will ask the B.C. Housing Commission to work with this group."  Coleman says there has  to be some sort of formula developed so that smaller communities can  develop such sites.  "There is an opportunity here but we have to have all the information " says Coleman.  

Financing  the  housing units is another issue but Coleman says  it can be done through the development of private-public partnerships "There may be possibilities for some units to be rentals, some may be sold, you could have a mix  so there are ways to  have  one side help pay for the other."

Iverson says he is in encouraged by the meeting with Coleman.  The Housing Commission is expected to have more information and get back to the  Hart Pioneer Centre in  a few months.  In the meantime, Harold will be distributing another survey on the housing wants and needs of  seniors who live north of the Nechako River.
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