Photo: Colin Dacre

Construction is underway on a subsidized housing project downtown Penticton, initially announced in 2015.

Site preparation has started on the empty lot at the corner of Brunswick Street and Nanaimo Avenue adjacent to the Penticton Lawn Bowling Club.

Minister of Housing Selina Robinson confirmed work has started in response to a question Monday from local MLA Dan Ashton in the Legislature.

“It got final approval a couple weeks ago,” she said. “Because of that, we want to get moving and giving people the kind of housing that they need.”

The 56-unit BC Housing development will include nine studio, 22 one-bedroom, 18 two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom apartments ranging in square footage from 338 to 982 square feet.

When the project was initially announced, BC Housing said a second phase of affordable units will be built on the land next door once the Penticton Lawn Bowling Club's lease expires in 2020.

Ashton also asked the Minister questions about concerns he has heard from constituents about the “clustering” of social housing projects in the south end of the city.

Robinson said 24/7 staffing at the modular units going in on Skaha Lake Road and at the Compass Court on South Main Street will take some of the pressure off the existing social housing projects in the area.