Aé - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, September 1, 1999 Senior housing plan mired in difficulties Gov't now wants society to pay for the land By JEFF NAGEL CONSTRUCTION of Terrace Mountain Manor’s supportive seniors housing project now depends on getting backing Crom B.C. Housing, according to project organizers, But there are’a number of obstacles to gelling such a grant far. the proposed 22- unit complex. next to Terraceview Lodge. And the Terrace Supportive . Housing Society is alsa battling what it. considers public misconceptions about project costs. ‘Unless these concerns canbe dealt with and dealt with soon, this project may once again be -a goud idea. of: well-meaning chizens which’ fails mired in. the piifalls of bureaucracy,’”’ said Marylin Davies, The crux of the socicly’s problems are ex- plaining ‘the $115,000-cost of the units to agencies that might supply grants aiid to lo- cal seniors who might buy in. - The Real. Estate “Foundation | of B.C, Which agreed to-extend $75,000 to support the project’s development, first queried the expected | unit’ price this. summer «and suspended release: of the: remaining two- thirds of ils grant until it gels answers, Similarly, B.C, Housing says to partici- pate it must adhere to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) criteria for this region of a maximum unil price of $93,280. That’s a number the sociely says builders consider ‘unreasonable and B.C, Housing has agreed to review with CMHC. If that and olber B.C Housing criteria can be overcome, the society hopes the agency would buy al least six of the suites and then rent them as affordable units to lower- income seniors al subsidized rates, The reason each unit is priced at $115,000, says Davies, is that it builds in a series of extra costs: ° @ Because seniors buying into the project are promised that units will be bought back from them upon their death, an extra pool of money over and above construction costs “must be raised and put in the bank to cover that eventuality, That’s been set at the cast of buying back two units — $230,000. Mi Since one unit will be a caretaker unit thal doesn’t get sold, its cost has to be Spread outacross the other 21 units, @ Thirdly, construction costs have to be financed up front, Builders must-be paid as construction proceeds, but the project won't get money from’ seniors buying in until it’s completed and the keys are handed over, Tf it turns out the extra money -built into the $115,000 figure is more than néeded to finance ‘construction, Davies‘ said,’ that money would be reinvested. for. the benefit of tenants, Thal would mean adding it to the building’s maintenance fund, effective- ly reducing the monthly fee for upkeep, janitorial, the carctaker and other costs, _ An even bigger problem has emerged. A reverter clause on (he property states that if the land is not used for seniors hous- ing as intended, it will revert back to the provincial government. Banks aid CMHC are refusing to finance construction unless thal clause is first removed, and the goverment’s Crown lands branch now says to do that it wants to be paid fair market value for the land, “We really thought the tand was pifled to develop this type of housing and now it turns out the government does indeed want to be paid for it,’’ Davies said, ‘This is a huge problem.” Since both B.C. Housing and Crown lands are branches of the provincial gover- meat, Davies said, ‘‘we thought B.C, Hous- ing would just go down the hall, talk to Lands and sort it out,”’ - Time is of the essctice, Davies ‘added, noting they had hoped construction would begin this fall at the latest. Ten seniors to date have put down $1,000 refundable deposits toward units. ‘We dan’t kiow how many of them are still going to be interested come spring,” Davies said. Many others say they’re interested and will be there when it gets built, she added, but that doesn’t help the project get started. _ The strengths of the project are that the units are wheelchair accessible, and there are many advantages to being right adjacent to Terraceview Lodge, such as social ac- tivities, meals and other support. B.C. Housing director of development services Craig Crawford said the agency is reviewing the proposal. ‘‘We’re checking their numbers to see where the difference is between their numbers and our maximum unit price,’’ he said. The reverter clause is an issue, but he said it’s too carly to tell how to deal with it, “*We’re interested in some kind of a pro- ject there if it can work,”' be said. WCB Approved | Kits We Rostock : Your Old Kits HEALTHCARE |. to Oct. 31/99 Remember Northern Healthcare is Your Source for All Levels of. ‘COURSES - FA ‘UNBC. EDUC 691 - Interdisciptinary Seminar Alternating Weekends - TBA Instructor: Judith Lapadat ENVS 306 - Human Ecology Instructor; Norma Kerby FNST 137/237 - Coast Tsimshian Language Instructor: M. Anderson/M. Roberts FNST 216 - Issues in intemal Relations for Indigenous ~ Instructor: M. Anderson / E, Derrick Peoples FNST 302 -—First Nations Health and Healing Instructor: Lee Cates PSYC 320 ~The Psychology of Learning © Instructor: Ted Altar By Teleconferen COMM 342 —Services Marketing _ Instructor: M. 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These are only a few of the concerts this season presented by the Terrace Concert Society. For great savings purchase a package for yourself, friend or use as a gift. There’s entertainment for everyone. | od | Tickets available now at Erwin’s House of Fine Jewellers in the Skeena Mall. Visa & Mastercards accepted.