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A nonprofit organization has found a way to rejuvenate its seniors’ housing facility at no cost. By partnering with a property developer, the Odd Fellows Low Rental Housing Society could also continue providing affordable homes for its Vancouver residents.

“One thing is not having a mortgage,” Tom Novak explained in a phone interview with the Straight.

Novak is the CEO of the Three Links Care Society, the group that manages the three-storey Odd Fellows Manor at 3595 Kingsway.

Novak said the Odd Fellows Low Rental Housing Society teamed up with Hungerford Properties for a plan to redevelop the property into a six-storey building.

The new building will have replacements for the 44 nonmarket housing units (29 studios, 15 one-bedrooms) at the existing Odd Fellows Manor, 117 new units of market rentals, and commercial space at ground level. “Hungerford is covering the total cost,” Novak said.

According to him, the Odd Fellows group will own the 44 nonmarket units and Hungerford will have the 117 market-rental homes through a strata arrangement. The partners have filed a rezoning application with the city.

The Odd Fellows and Hungerford were put together by consultants with Terra Housing, a social-purpose development-management company. Terra had worked before with Novak’s Three Links group.

According to Novak, residents at the Odd Fellows Manor pay about $500 a month for a one-bedroom. He said that they will pay a bit more in the new building because of strata costs, but it will be cheaper than renting in other places.