About the Lot 13 - First Light Affordable Housing Project
The Lot 13 Housing Project, also known as the First Light Affordable Housing Project, is situated on Marine Drive near Brown's Beach, close to the Black Rock Oceanfront Resort. It spans between Cedar Grove Place and Rainforest Drive, with access from Marine Drive and its rear border touching the Whispering Pines manufactured home park. The property also shares boundaries with properties on Marine Drive and Rainforest Lane.
Originally designated for affordable housing by the Weyerhaeuser Corporation in 2005, Lot 13 was purchased by ACMC Holdings Ltd. and Andrew McLane. Lot 13 was zoned to allow 33 small lots where one to three-bedroom small homes will be built. Among these, 11 lots will have affordable rental homes, while the remaining 22 lots are small freehold units offered for sale under BC Housing's Affordable Home Ownership Program (AHOP). One of the homes also features a secondary suite.
BC Housing is funding the Lot 13 development through AHOP, which involves a partnership agreement with the District. In this agreement, the municipality's contributions to make the project affordable are matched by BC Housing through an interest-free second mortgage. AHOP aims to help middle-income households own homes. Eligible purchasers can buy homes priced between $365,000 and $500,000, targeting a gross household income ranging from $96,974 to $119,272.
The homes planned for construction on the lots range in size from 679 square feet to 894 square feet and will be modular constructions placed on permanent foundations. Areas adjacent to the existing park and stream corridor to the west of the site will be designated as park areas, and fencing with new landscape screening will be installed along the Marine Drive frontage.
For more information visit www.firstlightucluelet.ca.
Important Updates – Finalized Agreements
ACMC Holdings and the District of Ucluelet have successfully finalized funding agreements with BC Housing for the First Light Affordable Housing Project, marking the project's transition into the construction phase.
The project faced delays due to internal challenges and changes in legal representation at BC Housing, however with the execution of the agreements by all parties it is now moving forward. Due to the complexity of the program, tri-lateral agreements, advanced sales and affordable housing requirements it was critical to ensure that the agreements were fully supportable for all parties and that the limited number of affordable housing units were accessed by local residents within the appropriate income brackets.
BC Housing initially approved the project in June 2023, with a maximum household income of $119,272 for eligible purchasers. Between June and November, the developer accepted purchase agreements with 22 local buyers who were vetted by BC Housing as meeting program requirements. In mid-February 2024, BC Housing proposed an increased maximum household income of $191,910 in the agreement, prompting discussions between staff, the Mayor, BC Housing and the developer to finalize the agreements while honouring the original proposal and existing sales agreements.
The revised agreement allows the project to proceed with the current accepted offers. If a sale falls through, the developer must first seek a new buyer within the target income range of $96,974 to $119,272 before broadening the range to the wider AHOP program limits.
Next Steps
The next steps for the developer involve civil engineering, subdivision finalization, building permit applications, and modular home construction. First Light Affordable Housing remains a high priority project and the District will be expediting the review process for various approvals and permits so that the project can advance as quickly as possible.
The development timeline, contingent on successful coordination, could range from 12 to 18 months. The timing for completion of the subdivision works and expected availability of the new homes is largely up to the developer. This progress represents a significant step forward in ongoing efforts to enhance affordable housing options in Ucluelet. The AHOP program's success not only benefits individual homebuyers but also contributes to the overall well-being and sustainability of our community.
For more detailed information, the Staff Report to Council and live recording of the March 14, 2024 Special Council Meeting are available.
General Enquiries
Telephone: 250 726-7744
Email info@ucluelet.ca