After 31 years of service to the community Nelson and District Housing Society will hand over operations of their assets and properties to Nelson CARES Society today.
This includes the properties known as Copper Mountain Court, Cedar Grove Estates and Lakeside Place located in Nelson.
“It was time to find a new model of business that would ensure affordable housing in Nelson for decades to come,” says Roland Perrin, chair of the Nelson District Housing Society.
“We selected Nelson CARES Society through an application process guided by BC Non-Profit Housing Association. They clearly demonstrated that they have the capacity, commitment and structure to manage the properties and keep them in good repair.”
The two boards and the executive director of Nelson CARES have worked through the summer to organize the transfer and make it seamless for tenants, staff and the community.
“Our priority is to ensure that the service to the community continues to be at the highest level,” explains CARES executive director Jenny Robinson. “The two organizations have worked in deep collaboration to meet all the legal and operational requirements to complete the transfer.”
There will be no change in the access, availability, and application process related to these properties. Contact information for the staff will remain the same.
“Nelson and District Housing Society has built an unparalleled community asset that offers 106 affordable housing units to the residents of Nelson and area,” says CARES chair Chris Ingles. “This achievement is to the credit of community visionaries and stalwart volunteers who have worked tirelessly to give affordable homes to so many.”
Affordable housing is a determinant of health that sets lives on a steady course. Keeping these assets under local community non-profit management is the goal of Nelson CARES Society, which will maintain the values and goals that have guided the service over the years. Between the two organizations there is a 65-year history of providing housing in the community of Nelson.