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http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonto ... /20/housing-ed.html. `0 x" C' w2 F7 w( ~5 r
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Edmonton plans thousands of affordable homes
3 @, D8 s& v! ?% I$ u- |0 M0 pLast Updated: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 | 11:02 AM MT
- b* o1 v k$ YCBC News
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An 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.. K. L" _+ {; M2 N, Z
: t. p- y |3 X2 F" n' [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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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.
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6 M7 M) Q" \, q. C' o"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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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.
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2 [5 l+ F) \- y; b9 o( d"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.
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' r& e& J1 U3 m9 ~! r7 h7 |( B% lCity officials hope some of the new affordable housing units will be ready in as soon as 18 months.
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/ I F! d8 l3 a! w x+ }) m1 P- ^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.
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) P% h9 F9 P- x( a"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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