UPDATE: 1:45 p.m.

Shelter housing is not currently in the cards for redeveloping properties on the North Shore recently purchased by the City of Kamloops.

During Tuesday afternoon’s council meeting, city manager David Trawin clarified a typo in a report on today’s council agenda, with notes about the decision to buy the property.

One of the lines says “shelter housing will be apart (sic) of that vision,” but Trawin says the report meant to say shelter housing will not be part of it.

Last week, the city said it had bought the Northbridge Hotel and The Duchess Nightclub, as well as the adjacent vacant property at 346 Campbell Avenue, at a cost of $7.15 million.

Mayor Ken Christian said last week the city will be finding an operator for market rental housing at the hotel site which has 60 to 65 units, and that the city has a letter of commitment from BC Housing that it will buy the Campbell Avenue property at a later date.

Today, in notes from a recent closed council meeting, the city commented on what kind of housing will be developed at the properties.

“One of the key objectives for the Tranquille Market Corridor that is emerging through the North Shore Neighbourhood Plan planning process is encouraging housing options that allow residents to live, work, shop, and socialize within the corridor. The vision of creating market and affordable rental housing through this purchase will support that objective.”

Early indications are that it could take several years before rental housing is ready to go to market at the former Northbridge Hotel property. In the meantime, the city says residents will be able to live there and that rent prices will stay the same.

“The tenants will receive extensive notice prior to redevelopment and will also be supported in relocating to other affordable housing options that meet their needs.”

Council began negotiating buying the North Shore properties earlier this year, before council voted 6-0 to make the purchase in its closed meeting on Sept. 21. Councillors Sadie Hunter and Kathy Sinclair did not vote because of a conflict of interest, while councillor Arjun Singh was absent.

The city says the properties were listed for $7.49 million, and that their appraised values were $6.25 million. The city pointed out the appraised value is a better indicator of what the properties were worth than their tax-assessed value – a combined $3.15 million.

Bringing in more affordable housing units and market rental units is “much needed,” according to the city’s closed meeting notes, which mayor Christian pointed out was a rationale for buying the properties.

Future plans for development will be made public once decisions are finalized, according to the city.