Executive Director Sandra Wood discussed the Cortes Community Housing Society’s achievements in 2021, when the Rainbow Ridge affordable housing project will be shovel ready and what lies ahead after it is finished.
“We ended the year so strongly!” she exclaimed.
In the midst of what has already been a two-year-long pandemic, the society raised $120,000.
Someone donated a one acre property to the Housing Society and they took possession last month.
“We are actively looking for the right future owner of that property, because we would like to use the cash to continue to focus on the Rainbow Ridge project. So very soon we’ll be putting out an ad, but we’ve been speaking to a few specific people already who might be interested,” said Wood.
She explained that the next step in the Rainbow Ridge project is to complete the design process.
Iredale Architecture, from Victoria, has been hired and walked the property last week.
“Once we have those designs finalized, then we can create construction drawings. And from those drawings, we can finalize the budget. That’s the stage at which we can take it to the bank or to BC Housing and say, ‘this is what it’s going to cost us’ with confidence to build this project and then ask for a construction loan to begin the project.”
Wood hopes that construction will begin in 2023 and the units will be occupied the following year.
She shared some of the highlights from 2021:
Four units were added to the Cortes Seniors Village, bringing the total to ten.
“It was very satisfying to have people housed. I mean, that’s what this is all about,” said Wood.
“Also we were able to retire the majority of our land loans on Rainbow Ridge. So we actually paid off $345,000 worth of local loans that were held on the Rainbow Ridge, thanks to the amazing donors on Cortes Island who helped to make that possible.”
Cortes Community Housing Society was given charitable status, and can now issue tax receipts. (Prior to this, this had to be done through the Cortes Island Senior Society.)
The society is still waiting for a water license to be approved.
“We’re waiting for the ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to approve our subdivision plan, which will make a six acre subdivision on the Northern end of Rainbow Ridge. That’s the piece that will hold the first 20 home cluster,” said Wood.
Meanwhile, the waiting list for units has grown to 156 people.
“I think that’s the real indicator of how desperately needed Rainbow Ridge is. People who are either losing their homes, or the property they’re renting has been sold, or they’re constantly having to move out every summer when the owners return for their holidays,” said Wood.
She added, “Not only do we need housing for our elders who are downsizing because they can no longer take care of their big properties, the big acreages. And not only do we need housing for families with children, because we want to make sure that the school stays open and that we have good jobs for teachers, administrators and school personnel. We also have a severe shortage of housing for workers on this island.”
Cortes Island’s stores and businesses are struggling to hire staff because there is no place for the staff to live.
“Obviously we want to create more forms of housing, more forms of affordable housing, but obviously worker housing is really a big missing piece of the puzzle,” said Wood. “Luckily Rainbow Ridge is 51 acres. The first 20 houses will only occupy six of those acres, so we still have 45 acres to do some other really interesting cluster housing projects that will help some of the other people who are in need of housing in this community.”
Anyone wishing to donate to the Cortes Community Housing Society may do so by clicking here.
Top photo credit: Construction hopefully starts on Rainbow Ridge during 2023 – photo courtesy Cortes Community Housing Society
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