 鲜花( 2)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonto ... /20/housing-ed.html# |4 I5 v! a# g
# h4 C N& `9 MEdmonton plans thousands of affordable homes
$ g( t0 R: ? ~, |6 G* `Last Updated: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 | 11:02 AM MT 0 \% `& h4 L0 y0 D! u, k
CBC News
" ^8 x! s6 F) R
% ?9 ?& R- ?1 e; VAn 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.
8 y, o! }9 f. p5 j
0 R1 f( h* S$ |& s; FCam 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.
* t6 }2 w4 T9 z3 o/ K3 H- I X/ @
The $170 million project, approved Tuesday by city council, could lighten that load by providing everything from new apartment units to basement suites and mobile homes, he said. ( v5 v% r# D' Z
) k0 w9 m8 N7 D! c
"I'm hoping that we can really start adding to the affordable housing, transition housing and supportive housing infrastructure in our community," he said.# G, ], |$ w$ W5 p1 `
8 d! U+ o: H1 @. }- @, ]
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.
" C5 n; @+ K' _5 s! |
: D f( r5 z% r, Z"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.3 s, p0 B8 b4 `) G/ P
Continue Article
6 |( J, L3 z5 Y- ~
8 V3 G. b8 L n( K, i7 {- l+ v& Y. T: ^3 T8 |
City officials hope some of the new affordable housing units will be ready in as soon as 18 months.
6 @/ t. C1 F' F0 c8 S ~' K; M$ [
8 a( F4 }3 v' j4 v( \' b" L! fBut 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.! M& [7 j" C( S: x
3 W T+ r' J7 k! L9 P, l, J"It's going to take time — this is not an overnight solution by any means — but I think we are making good progress." |
|