Ronda Watson choked back tears when asked how she feels about potentially being forced to move out of the home she has lived in for a decade to make way for a new, larger affordable housing project.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just emotional,B次元官网网址� Watson said on Wednesday (Feb. 13), as she stood in the doorway of the three-bedroom townhouse she lives in with her family. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know where IB次元官网网址檓 gonna go.B次元官网网址�

WatsonB次元官网网址檚 home on McCoy Road is one of 12 Capital Region Housing Corporation (CRHC) units slated to be potentially torn down to build a proposed 119-unit, $54 million housing complex. Saanich is poised to approve the site for rezoning after unanimous support from council at a public hearing on Tuesday night.

With one more final vote on the rezoning, councillors can clear the project to move on to the next steps B次元官网网址� finding a place for the current tenants to live.

Though Watson said she does support the need for more affordable housing B次元官网网址� the townhome she has called home for 10 years is a CRHC affordable housing unit after all B次元官网网址� the forced change and uncertainty involved have her and her neighbours feeling tense.

B次元官网网址淚 totally appreciate the need for housing, donB次元官网网址檛 get me wrong, I am in support of it,B次元官网网址� Watson said. B次元官网网址淗owever, I have to worry about myself and my family.B次元官网网址�

CRHC representatives assured councillors during the public hearing that the current tenants would be offered a new place at a similar rate, so long as their income has not gone up. This includes first right of refusal in the new building.

B次元官网网址淥ur obligation is to maintain those rent levels,B次元官网网址� said CRHC capital projects manager Rob Fowles. B次元官网网址淎s long as theyB次元官网网址檙e meeting the income threshold as well.B次元官网网址�

Some tenants would likely opt to move in to the new complex, while others may not.

If they do want to move into the new building, they would need to move out while the townhomes are demolished and the new apartments are built, meaning multiple moves. This is not ideal for Watson.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 want to keep moving,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just not me, I wanna put roots down.B次元官网网址�

But if a unit in the new building is refused, there is no guarantee of being offered a place close by.

Watson said she has become attached to living in the neighbourhood near the University of Victoria.

B次元官网网址淚 love the area, itB次元官网网址檚 very convenient and itB次元官网网址檚 close to friends and close to family and schools,B次元官网网址� she said.

Others living in the current townhomes may be open to downsizing due to family circumstances.

Sam Peekeekoot has a child in Grade 11, and so a smaller apartment in the new building might make sense once they graduate.

But like Watson, he doesnB次元官网网址檛 want to make multiple moves. He just wants to know what his options are and is hoping his kids can finish school before any move is necessary.

The mood of many of the tenants is that they have been left in the dark during the process, left to wonder when they will be told itB次元官网网址檚 time to leave.

B次元官网网址淓veryone IB次元官网网址檝e spoken to seems kind of stressed out,B次元官网网址� Peekeekoot said.

Peekeekoot also acknowledged the need to upgrade the buildings B次元官网网址� built in 1983 B次元官网网址� saying they were old and cold and not well insulated. But the unknowns and lack of agency he has in the process is difficult for him and his neighbours.

B次元官网网址淚t kind of feels more like youB次元官网网址檙e just being pushed out,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ut I know itB次元官网网址檚 practical and necessary.B次元官网网址�

Councillors were told the current tenants would be receiving assistance finding new homes, though not many details were given because the process would be different for each tenant depending on their situation.

Watson and Peekeekoot were unable to attend the public hearing in person. The one member of the public who spoke during the meeting was mildly supportive of the project, but said calling it affordable housing was B次元官网网址渄eceptionB次元官网网址� with only 20 per cent of units getting deep rent subsidies.

In the end, many of the councillors expressed enthusiastic support, saying the CRHC had allayed concerns about what will happen to the current tenants.

B次元官网网址淥ne of the conversations I had that came up time and time again speaking with people who were tenants in the current existing building was concerns around relocation and finding homes,B次元官网网址� Coun. Teale Phelps Bondaroff said. B次元官网网址淎nd so itB次元官网网址檚 really reassuring to hear that thereB次元官网网址檚 a pretty strong assistance program.B次元官网网址�

Watson listened to the Tuesday hearing and heard that help will be provided. She is hoping to have a better idea of what to expect soon.

B次元官网网址淏ut no information just yet, so weB次元官网网址檒l see what happens,B次元官网网址� she said.

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