Kelowna senior thanks her lucky stars for subsidized apartment

After 15 years of retirement, Bonnie Baker's savings dried up.

And she couldn't make ends meet on her small pensions.

"I didn't know where I was going to live," said the 77-year-old.

"I certainly couldn't afford the $1,700 a month that a regular one-bedroom apartment in Kelowna goes for."

And then, along came Pathways Abilities Society and Hadgraft Wilson Place -- the 68 five-storey apartment building downtown at 1369 Bertram St. with 68 affordable and subsidized units.

"I have one of the subsidized apartments, a beautiful one-bedroom with a 20-foot-long balcony," said Baker.

"I don't want to say how much I have to pay, but it's one-third of my income and a lot less than the $1,700 that an apartment like this would usually go for."

While subsidized apartments go for one-third of the individual or family's monthly income, the affordable units are more expensive -- priced to be about 15% less than the open market, which in Hadgraft Wilson's case is $1,238 for a one-bed and $1,653 for a two-bed.

There's a rigorous application process and income checking for both the subsidized and affordable units.

The 34 subsidized apartments have all been snapped up, but 10 of the 34 affordable units are still available.

Baker is from the Shuswap, where her last job before retirement was as a secretary and crisis-phone-line answerer at the Salmon Arm Hospital psychiatric ward.

In 2017, she moved to Kelowna to be in a bigger city where she could walk everywhere (because she's giving up driving) and be close to better medical facilities.

She lasted until 2020 when money ran out and COVID hit and she moved back to the Shuswap.

But Kelowna called again and she was only able to make the move with the help of Pathways and Hadgraft Wilson Place.

"I used to have a dismal future, but now I'm excited for what's to come," said Baker.

Baker was one of the dozens of people at today's ribbon cutting for Hadgraft Wilson Place, which, by the way, is named after the Hadgraft and Wilson families who have been long-time financial supporters of Pathways.

BC Minister of Housing Ravi Kahlon and Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas were also there for the ceremonial snip.

Kahlon and Dyas also raved about the total 180 new affordable, subsidized and emergency units that have opened in Kelowna recently or will soon be available.

As previously mentioned, Hadgraft Wilson Place accounts for 68 of those 180 units.

Pleasantvale at 651 Cambridge Ave. in the North End will open next summer with 48 apartments and 24 townhouses.

Alexandra Gardener Safe House is being expanded from 20 shelter beds to 44 beds and studio apartments for women and children fleeing abusive relationships.

The address of the safe house isn't release, because, well, it's a safe house.

All three projects are the result of partnerships between the provincial and federal governments, City of Kelowna and non-profit organizations.

While the additional housing was praised at the event, Kahlon said the province is still two decades behind in creating enough affordable housing for everyone in British Columbia to be safely and comfortably housed.

"It's a serious issue and there's lots of blame to go round," he said.

"But, we're now focused on the goal of getting people the housing they need by spending $4.3 billion over the next three years."

Part of the plan is the Housing Supply Act that requires municipalities to hit targets for helping to see additional affordable and subsidized housing built.

The first round of 10 cities covered by the act are all in the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island, except for Kamloops.

Kelowna and Penticton are expected to be in the next batch of 10 to be announced by the end of the year.

Kahlon is aware of the big homeless encampment along the Rail Trail in Kelowna's North End and toured it last year.

"It's not just people with mental health and addiction problems who are homeless, but other people who can't make ends meet living in parks and in their cars and many low-and-moderate income earners are struggling," he said.

"We need to, and will, build housing faster and more affordable."