Habitat for Humanity units proposed

Lake Country project would provide homes for 12 low-income families

Twelve low-income families will get a new place to live under a Habitat for Humanity proposal for Lake Country.

The plans for a site at 10618 Powley Cres., off Bottom Wood Lake Road in central Winfield, represent an ambitious new phase in the evolution of the non-profit group.

“The site is currently vacant and when complete, it will be the largest Habitat build undertaken in the B.C. Interior,” says group spokesman David Smith.

At a meeting Tuesday, Lake Country council agreed to support the project by reducing the required building fees by 50 per cent, and eliminating any required development permit and variance fees.

“They’re a very worthwhile organization and we’re happy to help them out,” said Lake Country Mayor James Baker. “Unfortunately, there’s a real need for affordable housing in our community, the same as there is elsewhere in the Okanagan.”

Habitat for Humanity currently has 30 housing units in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland, Vernon and Penticton.

Municipalities have helped Habitat for Humanity in its building projects in various ways, including providing land, waiving normal development fees and covering the cost of infrastructure works such as sewer line extensions.

In the past, Habitat for Humanity focused on building single, standalone houses, often in single-family home subdivisions. The trend recently has been for multi-family units, such as a six-unit project in Peachland, which afford some economies of scale in construction.