The first two homes of shíshálh Nation’s Selma Park subdivision arrived last week, having been transplanted from the Lower Mainland. Now set on skids on the hillside overlooking Highway 101 and the ocean, the homes still need foundations – the only way into them at the moment is by ladder at the back. But the homes' arrival marks the beginning of the build out of a neighbourhood set to address a dire housing need.
“It’s a legacy project that we’re very fortunate to be a part of at the end,” lhe hiwus yalxwemult (Chief Lenora Joe) said at a ceremony Friday afternoon that included Nation Elders, council, members and local leaders. “There has been a lot of work that’s gone ahead of us and our hands go up to all of those people who participated.”
On April 5, yalxwemult highlighted the sustainability element of the homes that were saved from demolition in Port Moody and transported by barge to the Sunshine Coast. “As we’re moving forward as First Nations people, we always want to consider how we're protecting not just our community members but our environment.”
The two three-bedroom ranchers are the first of 10 homes that are to be brought to the Coast and refurbished. “Because of the structure of the design of the homes, they have the potential of being generational homes. And that was one of the key things that we're interested in – we don't want to be building homes that are going to last for one generation.”
The plan is to build basement suites under the ranchers so as to be able to have families together – a family with a few children upstairs and a grandparent, auntie, uncle or sibling downstairs. “We all know that as First Nations people, we support each other in the caring and bringing up of our children,” said yalxwemult.
To bring over the homes, the Nation partnered with Renewal Home Development, which yalxwemult called an “amazing experience," as well as Wesgroup Properties.
yalxwemult also pointed out that Nickel Bros, that moved the homes, was also the company that barged over 40 homes in the 1970s. “We do have a number of those homes that are still thriving,” she said.
The lhe hiwus also recognized the many people among the Nation’s departments and contractors who made the homes’ relocation possible.
Answering the question of why the Nation didn’t just build homes, yalxwemult stressed that there are more than 200 people on the housing waitlist, and the Nation can probably manage to build four or five homes a year. “That's going to take a long time for us to address that waitlist – we have families that are in desperate need.”
(The lhe hiwus has also previously said that based on the construction market, it would cost the Nation around $450,000 per house to build, whereas through the use of renewable housing and government grants, they can reduce the cost to approximately $200,000 per house.)
yalxwemult also pointed to the 700 Nation members who live outside the community, saying earlier that day, she had been told by the housing department that since the media coverage of the homes coming to Selma Park, they’ve been getting numerous calls from Nation members around North America, wondering if they can come home. Unfortunately, first they need to get on the already extensive waitlist.
The target date for having the relocated homes ready to move into is Aug. 1, said yalxwemult.
The subdivision has the potential for 77 homes, said yalxwemult. They’ll be looking at building single-family homes, duplexes, fourplexes and having a dedicated section for Elders.
– With files from Jordan Copp
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