Vernon motel to become low-income housing complex

VERNON – The hunt for an affordable place to call home in Vernon just got a bit easier.

The Journey Inn, the former Travelodge located behind the Fruit Union Plaza in downtown Vernon, was recently bought by B.C. Housing and will be operated as a low-income housing complex for people at risk of homelessness, the provincial government announced in a media release today, Aug. 28.

Local agencies have long been calling for more affordable housing opportunities in the city. 

The John Howard Society of the North Okanagan will run the 38 unit building with the goal of establishing a safe, friendly and affordable community for residents who in many cases have been living in uncertain and insecure situations for a long time. The building will feature a community kitchen and garden, as well as programs to help residents overcome social isolation and foster a sense of safety and belonging.

“Many of the prospective tenants are working either part-time or full-time, but haven't been able to find safe housing they can afford,” John Howard Society executive director Barb Levesque said in the release. “The location is within walking distance to many amenities and is ideal for people who cannot afford transportation. This project will give tenants the opportunity to live with dignity and hope for a brighter future.”

Renovations to make the building safer and more comfortable will begin in fall 2015 and are expected to continue into late 2016.

The first tenants are expected to move in over the next few weeks.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.