This week, Penticton City Council approved custom zoning for a city-owned site at 10 Galt Avenue to support the construction of a non-profit housing apartment building. Early development plans show a 6-storey building with 60 apartment units ranging from studios to 3-bedrooms.
“Council is focused on enabling the development of more affordable homes in Penticton, it’s been one of our major priorities since we were elected in 2022”, said Mayor Julius Bloomfield. “This project follows through on Council’s commitment to use this site for affordable housing.”
The city is working in partnership with the South Okanagan Similkameen Brain Injury Society (SOSBIS) and M’akola Development Services on an application to the province’s Community Housing Fund for capital funding to build the development.
“We’re excited to collaborate with the City of Penticton on this new housing initiative that will expand access to safe, inclusive, and affordable homes for working families, seniors, and people with diverse abilities,” says Linda Sankey, Executive Director for the South Okanagan Similkameen Brain Injury Society. “This project builds on our commitment to community well-being and adds to the seven rental buildings we already operate to support housing stability across the region.”
The zoning supports an upcoming ‘shovel-ready’ application to the province’s Community Housing Fund. The Community Housing Fund provides capital funds to new non-profit housing developments with 30 per cent of units at market-rent, 50 per cent of units at rent-geared-to-income, and 20 per cent of units at a deeper subsidy level rent-geared-to-income.
Similar projects in Penticton include the Rise on Nanaimo at 285 Nanaimo Ave W and the Backstreet Apartments at 259 Backstreet Blvd.
In 2024, Council endorsed 10 Galt Ave along with two other city-owned sites for social housing geared towards seniors, workers, and youth.
• 10 Galt Ave: rezoning adopted, capital grant application to be submitted in Fall 2025
• 995 Eckhardt Ave W: development partners and funding secured, constructed anticipated to start in spring 2026
• 251 Ellis St (“Ellis Block”): pre-development work underway, call for partners expected in early 2026
For more information about this project, visit our Focus on Housing page.
