Railtown Flats Eligibility & Rental FAQ
The Railtown Flats project at the foot of Baker Street broke ground in March 2026 and construction crews hard at work on the 55-unit development. This photo shows progress at the end of July 2026.
Railtown Flats Frequently Asked Eligibility & Rental Questions
Railtown Flats is workforce housing designed to support individuals and families who live and work in the Greater Nelson area.
For the purposes of the Railtown Flats workforce housing program, Greater Nelson is defined as:
- The City of Nelson; and
- Electoral Area E and Electoral Area F of the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK).
Priority for Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce Member Employees and Owners
Employees or owners of businesses that are current Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce members will have the first right of refusal on available Railtown Flats rental units, provided the applicant meets all applicable eligibility, income, asset and occupancy requirements.
If a suitable unit is not rented through the first-right-of-refusal process, it may subsequently be offered to other eligible applicants who meet the requirements of the Railtown Flats workforce housing program.
The first right of refusal does not replace or override the eligibility requirements established for Railtown Flats.
Q: How do you define a qualified business?
A: A qualified Greater Nelson business or self-employment is a business or self-employed operation that meets the following criteria:
a. Has a valid business licence, or is legislatively exempt from requiring one (e.g. schools); and
b. Has an office, place of business or premises physically located within Greater Nelson; and
c. The business must be a permitted use under the applicable local government bylaws; and
d. The business must have operations directly related to the provision of goods and services within Greater Nelson.
For the purposes of Railtown Flats, Greater Nelson means the City of Nelson and Electoral Areas E and F of the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK).
Where an applicant is self-employed, eligibility will be assessed based on the location and nature of the business and the work undertaken within Greater Nelson.
Employees or owners of current Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce member businesses receive the first right of refusal for available Railtown Flats units, subject to meeting all other eligibility and qualification requirements.
Q: Why are there income limits?
A: Income limitations have been put in place to support the needs of the business community and ensure that households with a genuine need for workforce rental housing have access to the available homes, while encouraging those able to access the open market to do so.
BC Builds targets middle-income households in British Columbia. Gross household income limits depend on unit size and whether the household has children.
For < 1-2-bedroom units, the income range is $84,780 to $143,900. For 2+ bedroom units, the range is $134,140 to $212,240.Income range details:
- Studio/1-Bedroom Units (< 2 bedrooms): Gross household income must fall between $84,780 and $143,900.
- 2+ Bedroom Units (2 or more bedrooms): Gross household income must fall between $134,140 and $212,240. [1]
[1] The first right of refusal for Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce member employees and owners does not remove the requirement to meet the applicable income and asset limits.
Q: What are the Occupancy Standards for renting a unit?
A: BC Housing Occupancy Standards specify standards for household sizes relative to the number of bedrooms in a residential unit.
The following Occupancy Standards apply to Railtown Flats rentals:
- No more than two (2) and no less than one (1) person per bedroom.
- Spouses and couples share a bedroom.
- Parents do not share a bedroom with children.
- Dependants aged 18 or more do not share a bedroom.
These occupancy standards mean that a single applicant wishing to live alone, or a couple living together, would generally be eligible for a 1-bedroom unit only. A single parent of one child would qualify for a two-bedroom unit.
All occupants are required to be identified in the lease and meet all other eligibility requirements.
Railtown Housing has some flexibility with these guidelines, and applicants will be assessed for unit size on a case-by-case basis.
Q: On the application form, what is the difference between ‘Applicant’ and ‘Occupant’?
A: An Applicant is a person who is applying for housing and must meet all the eligibility criteria for the Railtown Flats workforce rental housing program. In some cases, there might be co-applicants.
An Occupant is a person who lives in a rental unit. There can be a single occupant, who is the applicant, or more. For example, a household of four, consisting of two adults and two children, has four occupants.
Q: How much will I pay for rent?
A: The amount you will pay for rent depends on the size of the unit. The anticipated rental rates are as follows:
Market Rents Below Market
Studio $1,500 Studio $1,200
1 Bdrm $2,100 1 Bdrm $1,680
2 Bdrm $2,250 2 Bdrm $1,800
- Security deposit – A mandatory security deposit equal to a half month’s rent is held by the landlord and will be returned when your tenancy ends, if there has been no damage to the unit.
- Parking – If you own a vehicle and want a designated parking space, there will be a monthly charge.
- Tenants are responsible for their own telecommunications (internet, telephone and cable), electrical utility and tenant insurance.
Your rent may increase annually based on the allowable rental increase determined by the BC Residential Tenancy Branch.
Q: What happens if my employment, retirement status or household changes?
A: Tenants must advise Railtown Housing immediately when there is an anticipated or actual change in their qualifying employment or household membership.
Every year, tenants are required to complete a declaration confirming that the information they have provided to Railtown Housing is still current and true. Audits may be undertaken to ensure true and accurate reporting of information.
Applicants who qualify as a recent retiree will retain their retiree status unless they return to the workforce.
Your tenancy will be reviewed annually to confirm that you continue to meet eligibility and qualification requirements and abide by the terms of your tenancy agreement.
Tenants who are determined to be ineligible for housing will be notified and required to terminate their tenancy and move out of their unit within three months.
Q: What happens if my income changes?
A: If your income fluctuates from year to year, the average of your income tax returns over the past two years may be used so that changes are reflected in this average.
If your income increases significantly and exceeds the income limits, you must advise Railtown Housing immediately.
A review of your income will occur and you may become ineligible for Railtown Flats housing.
Q: Will my rent change during my tenancy?
A: Yes. Rental rates will be reviewed on an annual basis to determine any increases.
Rental rate increases will be based on the annual allowable rent increase set by the BC Residential Tenancy Branch.
Q: I am a first-time rental applicant. When will I be required to submit my income and asset verification?
A: When you first apply, and prior to entering into a tenancy agreement, you will be required to complete a detailed income and asset verification process.
This verification process will be completed by Railtown Housing. Once becoming a tenant of Railtown Housing, a confirmation process will be held annually to declare and confirm household eligibility, income and assets.
Q: How do I know when a unit comes available for rent and if I qualify?
A: A waiting list will be established and vetted from time to time to ensure that those waiting are eligible.
When a unit is available for rent, notification will be sent to rental waitlist applicants requesting their interest in the unit.
The notification will confirm the rent and any other relevant information about the available unit.
First right of refusal will be given to eligible employees or owners of current Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce member businesses.
If the unit is not rented through the first-right-of-refusal process, it may subsequently be offered to other eligible applicants who meet the requirements of the Railtown Flats workforce housing program.
Before any tenancy agreement is signed, applicants will need to pass a financial verification process that includes a review of the household’s total income and assets.
Q: If I’m on the rental waitlist, am I guaranteed a rental unit?
A: No. Being on the Railtown Housing rental waitlist does not guarantee that an applicant will be offered a rental unit.
Railtown Housing retains the right to determine to whom it does or does not rent, subject to applicable legislation and the established eligibility and allocation criteria.
Applicants and Railtown Housing rental waitlist members who meet eligibility and qualifications may be excluded from consideration for Railtown Flats workforce housing if any of the following apply:
- Unsatisfactory tenancy history, based on landlord references, receipt of notices to end tenancies, or review of past tenancies in subsidized housing.
- Providing false or fraudulent information.
- Failure to provide documents as requested, or consent as needed to verify information provided and determine eligibility.
- Unable to demonstrate an ability to pay rent and/or failure to apply for and receive income from applicable income programs.
- Failure to meet residency requirements
- Demonstration of unacceptable behaviours either in relation to a tenancy or in the community at large that may threaten the health, safety or right of peaceful enjoyment of a community by others.
- If there is cause to believe that a household member is engaging in or has a history of criminal activity that may threaten the health, safety or right of peaceful enjoyment of the community by others, including the manufacturing or production of illegal drugs.
- Note. Each application and supporting document shall be evaluated on its own merit.
Q. What types of rental accommodation does Railtown Flats have?
A. Railtown Flats has studio-1-2 bedroom units with large windows, full kitchens, air conditioning and in-suite or shared laundry. The building has an elevator.
There are two commercial rental units on the Baker Street ground level. The building features an additional floors of rental suites.
The ground floor also has a large, secured bike storage room for 55 bicycles.
Each unit has access to storage, either in the unit or in a storage room in the building.
All accommodation is long-term rentals, with an initial minimum one-year lease.
Studio (10 units) 333.s.f
1-bedroom (30 units) 605.s.f
2-bedroom (15) units: 907 s.f
Q: How long are the leases? Can I have a seasonal lease?
A. Railtown Flats does not offer seasonal leases.
There will be 1- and 2-year leases. Leases start at a one-year (12-month) fixed-term lease
Initially 50% of the units will be offered with one-year terms, the remaining 50% at 2 years
Q. How long would I need to wait for a unit to become available?
A: As construction proceeds, the occupancy of the building and rental units is expected to be in December 2027.
The length of time an applicant may wait for a unit will depend on unit availability, household eligibility, unit size requirements and the applicant’s position on the rental waitlist.
Priority for available units will first be given to eligible employees or owners of current Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce member businesses in accordance with the first-right-of-refusal process.
Applicants should understand that being on the rental waitlist does not guarantee that a unit will become available within a specific period of time.
Q: How do I apply for Railtown Flats housing?
A: The first step is to review the eligibility requirements outlined in this FAQ.
If you qualify, the next step is to complete an online application.
Applicants who are employees or owners of current Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce member businesses should identify their Chamber-member status as part of the application process so that their first-right-of-refusal status can be confirmed.
Applications will be administered in accordance with the Railtown Housing application and allocation procedures.
Q: What happens after I have submitted my application?
A: Applicants will be contacted and asked to participate in an application evaluation.
The evaluation process may include:
- Personal interviews.
- Verification of information provided on your application, including employment and the employment of other occupants in the household.
- Verification of household income and assets, completed by Railtown Housing or its designated administrator.
- Confirmation of employment with a qualified Greater Nelson business.
- Confirmation of Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce membership where an applicant is seeking first-right-of-refusal status.
- Requesting your consent for completion of a credit check.
- Completion of reference checks.
Applicants must provide the documentation and consents required to verify eligibility.
A more formal website or landing page with additional leasing details is being developed and will be available soon. You can find additional FAQ information on the Railtown Flats project here.
The project will begin to take names and contact information of interested individuals in Autumn 2026.
General inquiries can be made to tom@discovernelson.com
