As many as 140 new affordable rental homes are opening in two projects in Squamish.
Seventy-six rental homes are now open at Spirit Creek Apartments, located at 38648 Buckley Ave, in Dentville. The five-storey building has a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom rental units for families, seniors and individuals with low to moderate incomes. The building will be operated by Sea to Sky Community Services Society.
“We are so pleased to be able to welcome residents to their new homes,” said Jaye Russell, executive director, Sea to Sky Community Services. “Squamish is a fast-growing community desperately in need of affordable housing options and Spirit Creek delivers. Working in partnership with BC Housing and the District of Squamish we were able to offer 76 individuals and families a place to call home, helping to support a vibrant and diverse community.”
Spirit Creek Apartments is located in Carson Place Park and includes a Foundry centre on the ground floor. The centre provides young people from 12 to 24 and their families access to free mental-health and addiction counselling, youth peer support and social services, and wellness programs.
Also opening soon is Ashlu, located at 38012 3rd Avenue, in Downtown Squamish, where another 67 homes will soon open in partnership with Eighth Avenue Development Group, through BC Housing’s HousingHub. This mixed-use development will provide market rental homes meant for middle-income households. The six-storey building is made up of one-, two- and three-bedroom rental homes, and includes three commercial retail spaces on the ground floor. Tenants are expected to move into the building in June 2023.
“There is an extreme shortage of rental apartments for middle-income households in the Sea to Sky corridor and Ashlu will provide 67 new rental apartments to the community,” said Ed Kolic, principal, Eighth Avenue Development Group. “HousingHub is a valuable program that provided us with a lower-cost financing option that facilitated the project to be built as a rental, to meet the needs of the Squamish community.”
