The City of Williams Lake is pleased to release the 2014 Housing Need and Demand results. The document supplements and updates the full study, which was completed in 2012. It provides a snapshot of the existing affordable housing stock, along with outlining future needs for affordable housing.
“It is our intention to use this information for the community to move forward in addressing the wide range of housing needs in our community” says Anne Burrill, Manager of Social Development.
“Understanding housing needs can be a real challenge as there is a wide range of housing types and needs,” says Williams Lake Mayor Kerry Cook. “This study outlines the needs along the whole housing continuum, from shelter beds to rental housing and affordable home ownership.”
The update identifies housing for youth, as well as low income single people, families and seniors as a priority for the community. Although Williams Lake currently has 330 units of affordable supportive housing (including shelter beds) in the community, the study estimates that there is a need for at least 200 more, plus additional housing for students. And within the bigger picture of affordable market and non-market housing, the study identifies the need for over 800 more units of affordable housing.
“This gives us a great tool to move affordable housing forward,” says Mayor Cook. The City is grateful to the United Way for $9,800 in funding for the housing study update
1 comment:
If this council keeps raising taxes, rents will continue to rise and the need for yet more tax subsidized affordable housing will grow.
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