Housing plan taking shape

An innovative new housing initiative is taking shape in the Slocan Valley.

Mo Haroun, Executive Director of the Laneway House Foundation, hopes to collaborate with Slocan property owners to develop laneway or secondary suites on their residential properties.

Coined the Slocan Village Affordable Housing Partnership, dwellings would be constructed, insured, and managed by the Foundation. Property owners would receive a monthly lease fee (between $5,000 and $8,000 per annum at current rates) for the use of the land for 20 years. After, the lease agreement would end and the property owner would become the manager of the unit.

If 10 units are built, the goal is to operate three at market rate or higher (currently about $1,400), five at moderate-income rate ($1,120), and two at a rent-controlled rate ($850).

Initially, Haroun approached the City of Nelson but quickly realized its mountainous landscape made subdivisions and strata complicated. He redirected his efforts to the Village of Slocan, which was appealing for a few reasons.

“[Slocan] seems really passionate about the village and making sure it has everything to grow and thrive,” he said. “Its efforts to move Slocan forward and address the township’s future needs are inspiring.”

Haroun also noted that the average annual income in the Slocan area is lower than the Canadian average.

“I thought it would be a great way to not only get affordable rentals built, but also put some of the money back into people’s hands.”

And the Village’s flat grid layout simplifies subdivision and strata, too.

The Village recently offered a non-binding letter of support for the project. The gate for BC Housing’s Project Development Fund opens in November, and Haroun already has three property owners who have expressed interest.

“Now it’s just a matter of timing,” said Haroun.

The Foundation will also apply for BC Housing’s Community Housing Fund. If all goes well, the next step is design and planning, signing lease agreements with interested individuals, and “hopefully, hopefully, hopefully, if everything goes well” the Foundation can begin construction next June.

A key feature of the Laneway House Foundation is its board of directors, said Haroun. Each is an expert in the field, which means all work can be done in-house, significantly reducing costs.

The idea came to Haroun when he moved back to the Kootenays after being away for seven years. He noticed a change in the valley – the economic strain was taking its toll on residents; affordable housing was difficult to come by.

Haroun is from the Gaza Strip, and spent time in a refugee camp when he was younger.

“I understand the strain of not having a home,” he said. “I decided to step away from the private sector… I wanted to make my life more useful. I thought it would be a great opportunity to get into affordable rentals.”

In the ’90s, Haroun received a scholarship to the University of Oklahoma. In 1992, he visited his brother at McGill University in Ontario, and hasn’t looked back.

His wealth of skills gained since then – property development, general contracting, construction, interior design, and managing a café and restaurant in Nelson – lined up with his goals for the Laneway House Foundation.

As the Foundation came to fruition, Haroun’s research into government funding revealed something significant: much of the money made available for housing ends up in the hands of consultants. Big sums are used to create plans, rather than going towards construction.

With a board of seasoned professionals, any funds the Foundation receives can skip the middle man and be put directly into the project.

“Right now, the board is all family members and a friend,” said Haroun. “My father’s an architect, my brother’s a civil engineer.”

Haroun hopes to get more people from the valley on the board, for objectivity in decision making.

“It’s nice to have other perspectives,” he said. “I think it will make it a more complete and holistic process.”

To get word out about the Foundation, Haroun is selling coffee beans at Silverton General Store.

“The Laneway House Foundation is committed to enhancing the quality of life in the Kootenays by making living costs more affordable,” reads the Foundation’s mission statement on the back of the coffee bag. “Through our efforts, we aim to create sustainable, inclusive, and resilient communities where everyone has access to safe and affordable housing and essential resources.”

“Everybody knows somebody that needs an affordable house,” said Haroun. “Everybody knows somebody.”

Contact Mo Haroun and the foundation at thelanewayhousefoundation@gmail.com.