In that 2002 study, Jasper’s changing demographic and higher foreign worker population was not addressed, said Chad Gulevich, one of JCHC’s directors.
Part of the assessment process involved a community conversation on March 14 to assess housing needs and demands.
“We have ideas, but we want to make sure we’re headed in the right direction,” said Leanne Pelletier, JCHC administrative officer.
People had the option to discuss one of five categories: perpetually affordable housing, rental units, housing for the 55+ population, open market condos and open market houses. No one participated in the latter two groups.
Currently, there are four vacant parcels of residential reserve lands within the town boundary. Three are located along the west end of Connaught Drive and the fourth is behind Bear Hill Lodge.
“They are put aside specifically for housing,” said Pelletier. A development plan for any of these parcels doesn’t have to come from the municipality, either.
“If a group of citizens got together and wanted to start a new co-op, they could certainly bring that plan to Parks.”
Examples of existing models of perpetually affordable housing include Caribou Creek Co-op and Mountain Park Co-op. Some corporate community members at the discussion expressed interest in forming a cooperative group and approaching the housing corporation with a development proposal. The group collectively agreed that there’s a co-op housing need for at least 50 families.
Some Jasperites don’t want to purchase a home or can’t afford to, so there’s also a need within the community to rent. The group discussing rent agreed that current prices are fair, but there’s a lack of rental units.
“Current rents are [comparable] to availability,” said Nancy Taylor, a Royal LePage real estate agent. She receives phone calls on a daily basis from people wanting to look at rental units, but there aren’t any available. She believes another 100 units is not an unreasonable number.
It was suggested that the rental units are created by building mass housing, like an apartment building. While it hasn’t happened to date, land could be released at market price to a private developer for an apartment building, said Dave Kreizenbeck, lease administration officer for Parks.
“If that’s what the community wants and the direction they wanted to take, yes.”
Discussions about the 55+ plus housing situation addressed the lack of options for those who wish to downsize from their current home, but are not ready to move into a seniors’ lodge. This gap in appropriate housing makes it difficult to “age in place.” Sometimes seniors have to leave Jasper to find suitable housing.
Building appropriate accommodation for the 55+ population (one level dwelling, minimal stairs, wide hallways) will release existing houses into the market.
Resident Grace Kohn also mentioned a housing need not specified under a discussion topic: a disabled living facility that offers assisted living. She is currently forming a group to address this idea.
“We haven’t had a meeting yet to look at the results closely,” said Pelletier, five days after the discussions. “But if the results are a lot different than what the 2002 study indicated, perhaps our next step is to do a third party hire to do a new, up-to-date housing study.”
From there, “we can go ‘OK housing study is done, this is what we need, absolutely—we’ve talked to the public and the housing study confirms it. This is what we need to facilitate.’”
Although the JCHC doesn’t fund development, she reminds that “we can certainly assist people and give them the tools and direct them to who they need to speak to.”
