Rotary Club of New Westminster seeks support for its low-income seniors housing tower

New Westminster city council wants to find a way to support a building that’s been providing affordable housing to more than 100 seniors for decades.

The Rotary Club of New Westminster is seeking the city’s support in its quest to obtain capital funding from BC Housing, noting the potential risks to tenants impacted by the issues in the building.

John Berry, a longtime member of the Rotary Club of New Westminster, addressed council at its Aug. 31 meeting about Rotary Tower, which provides 100 units of low-cost housing for low-income seniors. He said the club built the residential tower more than 50 years ago and has operated it ever since.

“The tower badly needs some capital to address a variety of needs, including the building envelope,” he said. “We have a capital plan developed with a consultant recommended by BC Housing.”

The organization has submitted the plan to BC Housing and has received “positive feedback” about its need for funding, Berry said.

“We are on a list, but they also have other demands and priorities,” he said. “We are advised that we will get a better hearing and perhaps more timely action if we have the support of the City of New Westminster.”

Appearing before council on behalf of Rotary Club and its affiliated New Westminster Rotary Senior Citizen’s Housing Society, Berry sought the city’s support for its efforts to secure funding to undertake repairs on its building at 25 Clute St.

“If we don’t spend money on the building, we run an increasing risk that the damage the elements are causing will accelerate. Our immediate repair issues will worsen and, most of all, the building will inevitably become uninhabitable,” he said. “We are sure no one, including the city, would want to see that.”

As an example of challenges faced by Rotary Tower, Berry said its management company sought approval in July to repair a pipe at a cost of about $38,000. By late August, he said the estimate had increased by $55,000.

“An additional twist to this unfolding plumbing pipe issues is that the city is now directly involved. The city-owned shutoff valve that is impacting the project apparently needs to be repaired or replaced by the city before our work can be completed. The city’s valve is apparently old and in very poor condition,” he said. “We are told its failure could result in significant flooding and interruption of water service, not just to the Rotary Tower but also to other nearby seniors’ housing facilities and the nearby shopping mall.”

Coun. Ruby Campbell asked the director of engineering to follow up with Rotary officials about the shutoff valve.

Council support

Council unanimously supported a motion from Coun. Nadine Nakagawa calling on the City of New Westminster to support Rotary Tower’s work with and proposals to BC Housing for funding to ensure this affordable housing option remains viable for seniors.

“They would really benefit from the city supporting them to work with BC Housing and expressing explicit support,” she said. “We know that we need more affordable housing in this city. We have the assessments that show what a dire need it is.”

Nakagawa said the city needs to ensure its existing affordable housing stock remains viable.

“The most affordable housing is the housing that exists right now, that people are living in,” she said. “And so, I really want to make sure that this is supported into the long-term, that the seniors living here have homes into the future, but also homes that are clean and well maintained.”

The second part of Nakagawa’s motion sought information about whether money in the city’s affordable housing fund can be used to support existing projects or is restricted to new affordable housing projects. Council approved a motion directing staff to report back on potential options for funding and partnership support for Rotary Tower’s building maintenance needs through the city’s Affordable Housing Fund.

Lynn Roxburgh, manager of housing and land use planning, said the city established an affordable housing reserve fund in 2010 to be used for planning, acquisition, construction, development, maintenance and preservation of affordable housing in the city, including homelessness prevention and housing assistance programs. She said the reserve fund receives moneys through the Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT), a portion of the revenues from digital signage, density bonusing and annual contributions from operations.

“The fund has most frequently been contributed to the construction of affordable housing in the city, including project such as 831 Sixth St. For this project, funds were directed to the servicing and infrastructure costs for the project,” she said in a statement to Freshet News.