Housing planned for disadvantaged
Tenants would welcome independence
Like any young woman, Stacey Kohler longs for independence.
“I’d love my own place,” she said with obvious enthusiasm. “I want to be independent, I want to decorate my own place rainbow colours, have friends over.”
However, Kohler, 32, has developmental delays that have prevented her from moving out of the South Surrey home she shares with her parents and cat, even as she participates in countless activities and competes in the Special Olympics.
“She’s independent in a sense, but there are problems she can get into in the community. She’s vulnerable and she likes people — its always a concern,” said Kohler’s mom, Beryl Kohler. “She wants all that independence but there’s that safety component.”
To Kohler’s elation — and her mom’s — Semiahmoo House Society and Marcon broke ground Thursday on a 71-unit rental building, which will include 20 units for people with developmental disabilities and 51 below-market-price apartments. “It will be perfect for her,” Beryl said. It’s a project that’s been 12 years in the making. Semiahmoo House asked their clients, their families and those who support them how they would like to live.
Overwhelmingly, they responded that they want to live in the community where they grew up, as independently as possible.
“That became our marching orders,” said Doug Tennant, executive director of Semiahmoo House Society.
Over the years the society acquired four lots behind their building on 24th Avenue and went through the long process of finding partners and funding.
They received support from a number of organizations and businesses including Vancity, B.C. Housing and Marcon, which is managing the project.
Tennant said it’s been “quite a process” so far, but hopefully other non-profits can learn from it and come up with their own projects.
“There’s definitely a need not just for apartments for people with disabilities but for affordable apartments for people from the general community as well,” Tennant said.
Initially, there was a wait list of about 100 people for the supportive units. It’s been narrowed down to 40 and the goal is to choose the people for whom the units will be most appropriate.
Tennant said there has also been a lot of interest in the affordable rental units, which is unusual so early in the process. The building is expected to be finished in 16 months.
Kohler and her best friend, 28-year-old Alexa Lehwald, are already planning what their lives will be like if they are chosen for apartments: side-by-side top-floor units, cats, barbecues and slumber parties.
“It’s fantastic!” they chorused.