Temporary homes to open soon for Princeton seniors displaced by 2021 floods

On Wednesday, the province said new temporary homes to house displaced seniors would be opening later this spring.

The twenty homes are located in a development in Princeton’s Stan Thompson Industrial Park. The development has 10 modular units, each with two separate one-bedroom apartments and a shared laundry space.

The new homes will provide housing for people who were previously living in the Silver Crest apartment building, which was damaged by the devastating flooding that hit the southern Interior in November 2021.

Unfortunately, many of the tenants of the building have been unable to secure permanent housing. Those residents are being given first pick of the new units.

Tenants will continue to pay the same monthly rents they were paying before the floods hit. Any remaining units will be offered to other eligible seniors living in and around Princeton.

A news release says the province provided about $1.4 million for the project and BC Housing will provide about $32,000 in annual operating costs.

The Town of Princeton provided the land on a five year lease and the Princeton and District Community Services Society will operate the building.

BC Housing is working to secure a permanent replacement of the former Silver Crest building.

“The Town of Princeton thanks BC Housing for working with us to create this temporary solution for people needing a stable housing option while we continue working together to find permanent accommodation,” said Spencer Coyne, mayor of Princeton.

Residents are expected to start moving in on May 1, 2023.

This is the second round of temporary homes to open in Princeton. The first set of modular homes open in September 2022.