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http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonto ... /20/housing-ed.html
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. X9 a2 g0 E& A1 W, hEdmonton plans thousands of affordable homes' g2 { O- t; u# f
Last Updated: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 | 11:02 AM MT & L1 N, H. h8 }/ \; W
CBC News
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+ G5 d* {" l4 M6 T9 ^3 E. W0 \1 BAn 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.
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Cam 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.
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u) n4 J6 z6 @" `5 E) S9 ^( TThe $170 million project, approved Tuesday by city council, could lighten that load by providing everything from new apartment units to basement suites and mobile homes, he said.
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, l- G4 X! ?. c' B; a"I'm hoping that we can really start adding to the affordable housing, transition housing and supportive housing infrastructure in our community," he said.
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; N* M- B# Z3 U: ]0 K# m* P" M* PIn the past, most people stayed at the YMCA for a few days or weeks until they could get established. Now they remain for months.
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( e! |: V/ I7 h, ^"I did find a job within the first couple of days, but it's very difficult to find a place to live," said Darlene LePage, who moved from Montreal with her daughter to make a better life in boom-time Alberta.$ Z2 V: d3 d. ~6 [, s& O
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% v2 K$ t+ _3 S( [, kCity officials hope some of the new affordable housing units will be ready in as soon as 18 months.
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But 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.; c8 a" g" g5 H' L s/ K
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"It's going to take time — this is not an overnight solution by any means — but I think we are making good progress." |
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