Low income buildings acquired by South Okanagan Brain Injury Society

PENTICTON – Two low income housing buildings in Penticton have new owners after being acquired by the South Okanagan Brain Injury Society at the beginning of the year.

On Jan.1, Abbott Towers and Columbus Park transferred ownership to the SOSBIS at no cost.The two previous non-profit societies that looked after the buildings are in the process of finalizing their activities and will cease operating completely later this year. As required under the Societies Act, the organizations must disperse their assets to another registered charity.

The South Okanagan Brain Injury Society was chosen by the Interim Board of Directors for the Penticton Senior Citizens and Veterans Housing and Recreation Society because of SOSBIS' past performance of community collaboration with other local businesses and community agencies.

Abbott Towers has 97 suites for low income seniors, veterans and the disabled. The building was constructed in 1985 and has recently been updated.

Columbus Park has 42 low income family suites with 2, 3 or 4 bedroom units.

Executive Director of the South Okanagan Brain Injury Society’s Linda Sankey said the existing tenants will stay in the buildings acquired, but as suites vacate, the Brain Injury Society’s clients will be mixed in.

The SOSBIS currently owns a 23 suite apartment and two residential group homes for the disabled.

Sankey said vacancy rates for subsidized housing are very low in Penticton.

“As suites are always in high demand, once people move in, they cannot easily move out. There are approximately 200 seniors on the waiting list and about 100 families waiting to be housed in our low income housing,” she said in an email.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.