 鲜花( 2)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonto ... /20/housing-ed.html
7 F0 {* S* H6 D% |2 h1 R2 V7 F6 g2 d+ m+ g# c+ T" d
Edmonton plans thousands of affordable homes
8 r8 k; M( V2 o/ S% T; C# qLast Updated: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 | 11:02 AM MT
8 D$ ~1 _5 P# C* u0 x6 B$ [CBC News
( p4 J; |4 I7 f; B0 j
; v( h R [! X8 z o& v9 h3 HAn ambitious city plan to build almost 4,000 new units of affordable housing in Edmonton over the next three years is welcome news for an advocate for the poor.
: P) a3 Z) ^" W/ N; w$ q3 ]) M8 \
! D2 z1 O8 c- a' G+ g" T; JCam McDonald, a spokesman with the YMCA, said demand is brisk these days for the organization's simple accommodations, which have become home to hundreds of people.% d5 U- Y, D! i& o" x, M' K
1 } n$ P2 c4 f1 e! l" t& }The $170 million project, approved Tuesday by city council, could lighten that load by providing everything from new apartment units to basement suites and mobile homes, he said.
* R. k# D; _/ s
" o* A, X) N3 ]( Z4 S$ P"I'm hoping that we can really start adding to the affordable housing, transition housing and supportive housing infrastructure in our community," he said.
3 Q/ f+ I, R) {5 ^7 _: s9 u' d4 Y; Y. S5 d" l
In the past, most people stayed at the YMCA for a few days or weeks until they could get established. Now they remain for months.7 \& O5 ]& p) v
: A+ l6 P5 X! a"I did find a job within the first couple of days, but it's very difficult to find a place to live," said Darlene LePage, who moved from Montreal with her daughter to make a better life in boom-time Alberta.+ ?0 q- O, }& L
Continue Article
+ e8 x. G$ d7 Y( e
/ ?' r) z' Z5 G8 m* f; N
* [; h x5 R3 Z3 z; C4 Y9 t6 ^City officials hope some of the new affordable housing units will be ready in as soon as 18 months.6 O" P% y [( W. `1 N. M
! t7 D& g5 t' WBut McDonald said the work will have to continue for five or even 10 years if Edmonton is going to meet the needs of those who can't find affordable housing.+ f4 I7 A( S/ `2 m4 z- q
2 A6 i+ Z7 b% l- V, M7 o, J$ g9 K"It's going to take time — this is not an overnight solution by any means — but I think we are making good progress." |
|