Second phase of North End affordable housing development moves forward

City lawmakers have given the go-ahead for the second phase of an affordable rental development to move forward.

Pleasantvale 2 will occupy a vacant lot between Cambridge and Central Ave., and Kingsway, in Kelowna’s North End neighbourhood.

The project will provide 75 affordable homes for low-income seniors, people with disabilities and low to moderate income families. There will be 27 townhomes and 48 apartments.

The build is essentially an extension of Pleasantvale 1, which was completed in 2016.

The project is designed to fit with the character of existing development and the surrounding community.

BC Housing and Society of Hope are behind the proposal, which should help cut into the lack of affordable housing in the city.

In 2018, the city created the Healthy Housing Strategy, which set out priorities for the city to address housing affordability. This project will help move Kelowna towards that goal, according to a city report.

The project backers hosted an online information session on Sept. 23, to provide information about the updated proposal, answer questions, and collect feedback.

Construction could begin in the spring or summer of 2022. Once all said and done, the city block will be home to 150 affordable rental units.