much needed housing has arrived Merit, BCTo help the community that is still recovering from the devastating floods of November 2021.
Thirty-one modular homes have been delivered to the city as part of the Transitional Evacuee Manufactured Homes program, which was implemented in the fall of 2022 as a temporary stop-gap solution.
“We needed housing quickly. If you’re counting on contractors to build 31 homes in 18 months, that’s never going to happen,” Merritt Mayor Michael Goetz said.
“We had to go with manufactured homes.”
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The City of Merritt is spending the bulk of the $8.5 million in provincial funding to provide the homes. Approximately 130 families were identified as candidates to move away from emergency assistance, with 20 families ultimately moving forward with the program.
Families must pay $1,300 a month in subsidized rent and utilities.
There will be an option to purchase the homes at the end of the two-year program, but if they do not sell, the homes will be used on merit to promote housing options for all.
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Goetz said, “It took a lot of gears turning, and a lot of really smart people – the previous council and the current council to get this done.”
“Very proud of (the work done).”
While the houses are essential to reshaping the community, there are challenges to protect them from another round of flooding. None of the dams have been upgraded and the river bank is in the same condition as it was left after the devastating flood.
The municipality is looking to a senior level of government to approve the funding needed to fix the banks and dam.
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