Committed to Securing Affordable Housing for Hornby Island Residents
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Environmental Assessment of ISLA Land
In November 2010, Lynda Fyfe completed an exhaustive environmental assessment of our land that sets the foundation of how development will proceed.
It's clear that this land has much sensitive habitat to be conserved as ISLA builds out the neighborhood.
Download the Report and Maps
Biophysical Inventory Report
Map - Appendix 2
Map - Appendix 3
ISLA - Islanders Secure Land Association
A Community Land Trust
Why affordable housing is needed
Property on Hornby and Denman Islands has become increasingly attractive to non-resident buyers, driving home prices ever higher and limiting the availability of secure rental accommodation. It is now very difficult for islanders living and working in the community to achieve stable year-round housing. Valued community members are leaving. Businesses are having trouble recruiting employees. Property owners are having to pay more for help. Volunteers required to keep community services going are getting harder to find. School enrolment has plunged.
Accessible housing is essential for the community's economic, social and cultural well-being. It is hard for residents to fully participate in community-building when their housing situation is constantly uncertain. It will be hard for other residents to continue living here when there is a scarcity of people to provide the services we all need and to keep businesses going, community culture alive and activities happening
How a community land trust can address housing needs
A community land trust can secure stable housing for residents by:
- holding land in trust to eliminate the price of land from housing costs;
- enabling residents of modest means to own their own homes on land leased from the land trust;
- ensuring that housing is perpetually affordable to subsequent owners by capping resale prices.
Who will have access to housing on ISLA land
ISLA is developing selection criteria which will likely reflect the practices of other community land trusts. Succesful applicants will have to be island residents of modest means whose annual income is below a certain level, while also being sufficient to support the financing of their home.
There is a wide range of residents in housing needs, including single people, couples and families with children. We hope to offer a number of housing scenarios to meet various needs. It is unlikely that ISLA will initially be in a position to provide rental housing.
Where ISLA's first housing project is located
In 2010 ISLA acquired an 18.5 acre parcel of land generously donated by the Weiss family for affordable housing. This land is both beautiful and in a prime location on Central Road; half-way between the school and the Co-op. Our initial assessment of the land has identified approximately six acres appropriate for building sites with much of the remaining land to be held in conservation. The water and septic capacity indicate the land can accommodate the equivalent of approximately 20, 2-bedroom units in a mix of sizes and occupancy.
ISLA can also accept the donation of developed lots with existing houses or of agricultural parcels to secure land for future food production.
When ISLA expects to having housing opportunities available
Now that ISLA has passed the first, major hurdle of acquiring land, we are preparing a development plan to submit a successful application for a zoning amendment. We will then need to secure financing, prepare the site, and establish services before house building can begin. How long this will take will depend upon the active involvement of the community but we are optimistic we'll have people in homes by the end of 2012.