Sunshine Housing Co-operative, the Community Land Trust, (CLT), BC Housing, and the City of Surrey have partnered to build a new 69-home affordable co-operative housing development in Surrey.

“This new development will provide quality, affordable homes for people and families in Surrey, so more people can afford to live here in our community,” said Bruce Ralston, MLA for Surrey-Whalley. “We know more homes like these are needed, which is why our government will continue to work with all partners to boost the supply of affordable housing in Surrey and throughout the province.”

Located at 13225-104 Ave., the six-storey, wood-frame building will have a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom homes. Six of the homes will be accessible. It will also include two levels of underground parking, an amenity room, lounge, communal kitchen with a dining area, and a pet-washing station.

The project will replace the existing Sunshine Housing Co-operative building at 10744-133 St., which is nearing the end of its lease. The new building will provide housing for the 39 current tenants, as well as 30 new co-op members. About half of the homes will be reserved for families.

The Province, through BC Housing, is providing approximately $7.8 million through the Building BC: Community Housing Fund for the project. The City of Surrey provided the project land, valued at $2.8 million, while the CLT will own and operate the housing.

Construction is expected to be completed in late 2024. The building’s opening will coincide with the expiration of the current lease at the Sunshine Housing Co-operative building on 133 Street.

This project is part of B.C.’s 10-year, $7-billion housing plan. Since 2017, the Province has funded more than 36,000 affordable new homes that have been completed or are underway for people in B.C., including nearly 1,800 homes in Surrey.

Quotes:

Brenda Locke, mayor, Surrey

“I am pleased to celebrate the groundbreaking of the expanding Sunshine Housing Co-operative, which will help fill the pressing need for affordable homes for families in Surrey. Our city has a massive need for new housing of all kinds, from market housing to co-ops and purpose-built rentals. The city is deeply committed to working with all levels of government to create an inclusive Surrey where there are housing options for all. I thank the Province, Sunshine Housing Co-operative and all the partners for their help in making this much-needed project a reality.”

Tiffany Duzita, executive director, CLT –

“This project demonstrates how to successfully balance preservation of existing affordable co-operative housing with growth through our partnerships with the Province, BC Housing, the City of Surrey, and Sunshine Housing Co-operative. We are thrilled to have started construction and look forward to when the co-op will be expanding their membership to welcome new families that are not just in need of housing, but want to belong to a community.”

Kimberly Pybus, president, Sunshine Housing Co-op –

“The Sunshine Housing Co-operative has been a pillar of this community for over 40 years. We have many longstanding members who have raised their families here. As we move towards our redevelopment, we are excited to welcome our new neighbours and build a strong partnership with Community Land Trust. We will continue to promote a safe, affordable, financially sustainable and ethically governed community amongst our growing membership. We embrace the changes that the move to our new location will bring.”

Quick Facts:

• Metro Vancouver and TransLink waived $400,000 in fees for the project, while the Government of Canada, through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, is providing $20,000 in seed funding.
• The Community Housing Fund is a 10-year, $1.9-billion investment to build more than 14,000 affordable rental homes for people with moderate and low incomes.
• More than 9,000 of these homes are already open, under construction or in development.

Learn More:

A map showing the location of all announced provincially funded housing projects in B.C. is available online: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC

To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/

For more information about the Community Land Trust, visit: https://www.chf.bc.ca/community-land-trust/