THE Province has submitted a rezoning application to the City of Surrey for 38 permanent supportive homes. This is the first permanent site to be selected by Surrey as part of the commitment made by the Province to work in partnership with the city to deliver 250 supportive modular homes in Surrey.

Located on BC Housing-owned land at 13245 King George Boulevard, the project would provide housing with 24/7 support services, including access to Fraser Health clinical treatment, counselling, life skills and employment programming, as well as daily meals.

The units would be operated by Fraserside Community Services Society, an experienced non-profit housing operator. The society has been managing a 57-unit supportive housing on the site for more than 10 years.

The housing would be available to people in the surrounding area who are experiencing homelessness, and those living in the temporary supportive housing units in central Surrey.

BC Housing will hold a public information meeting on March 19 to provide more information about the project and collect community feedback, which will inform the direction of the proposed project.

If the project is approved, construction is estimated to start in summer 2019, with the goal of occupancy in early 2020.

BC Housing and the City of Surrey are working to find other sites in areas throughout the city to create additional permanent supportive homes. The remaining sites will be announced in the coming months as project proposals are finalized.