Two months after Richmond city council approved a modular housing project for the homeless, the City of Richmond said it’s still nailing down the finer details.
The majority of council voted “yes” to the project at a special council meeting on May 18, when it authorized city staff to negotiate specific terms with BC Housing and RainCity for the 7300 Elmbridge Way location, and report back to council within two months.
Negotiations aimed to hammer out the terms of a five-year lease for the city-owned land the modular housing will be built on, and to firm up an agreement outlining roles and responsibilities.
“Negotiations are moving forward with BC Housing and RainCity and more information will be available to the public at a later date,” wrote Ted Townsend, spokesperson for the City of Richmond, in an email to Richmond News this week.
"[They] are progressing well. There is no hold up; it just takes time to finalize complex agreements with multiple partners and to ensure we meet all conditions requested by council."
Townsend added that city staff will be reporting back to the public as soon as possible but no timeline has been set for that at this point.
The temporary modular housing project will provide 40 new homes with 24/7 supportive services for people experiencing homelessness in Richmond.
The passing of the project was applauded by many Richmond residents, while many neighbours expressed their concerns, which council said would be addressed as the project moves forward.
