Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Who Benefits?
    Everyone on Hornby! The people who get ISLA housing benefit through stabilizing their lives with secure housing. The community benefits by keeping people on the island who are able to put energy into other things besides moving/finding housing multiple times a year. These are the workers and volunteers who keep our community running smoothly, and the parents of our school children. Fire fighters, home care workers, co-op staff, trades people, people in all phases of life, but especially the younger workers, are finding stable year round housing difficult or impossible to obtain. We cannot afford to lose more of these valuable Hornby citizens.
  2. What will the property look like when development is complete?
    Given the sensitive nature of this portion of the Beulah Creek valley, ISLA houses will be clustered in three areas identified by the biophysical study completed in November, 2010 that add up to around 4 acres of the 20 acre parcel. Each cluster will have up to 10 homes arranged in duplexes/triplexes/single homes depending on affordability. It will be conservation-based affordable housing.
  3. Where will the housing be put on the land? Co-op? Individual houses? Semi-attached? Mixture?
    Mixture with organizational structure yet to be determined.
  4. What are the parameters for getting people to build on the land? Do they need money, building skills, social skills?
    ISLA is building the first phase of development of approximately 10 homes for purchase. The will likely be opportunity to build sweat equity by assisting in the construction, clearing, landscaping, etc.
  5. When will the financing be in place - is the government supporting ISLA?
    There is some government support for ISLA, for example the biophysical study was financed by a CMHC grant. The funding question is still open and requires community fundraising support.
  6. Who owns the land?
    ISLA owns the land and issues leases to the home owners.
  7. What building standards will be used?
    The homes will be built to code and to green standards.
  8. How does ISLA provide affordable housing if you don't use government support?
    Although there is actually some government support available, ISLA's affordability is assured in a number of ways. By taking the land out of the equation and building modest, small, clustered homes the required mortgages become attainable by working people on Hornby. We will save money on bulk purchase of construction materials and on shared infrastructure amongst the houses. Community support through fundraising, donations in kind, and sweat equity are already keeping our first development affordable and will continue to do so.
  9. Who decides on the appearance of the buildings?
    Since ISLA is ultimately responsible for the land and the buildings on the land, ISLA will have the final say in the appearance of the buildings.