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http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonto ... /20/housing-ed.html X( a b0 F7 ^7 l e4 M! i
! e& C7 ]9 N+ u0 q5 b) @. mEdmonton plans thousands of affordable homes
+ ] H$ o/ e4 g7 KLast Updated: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 | 11:02 AM MT
! L1 j2 T; \4 dCBC News
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+ f4 j' i9 m. x2 @7 o/ R$ Z. tAn 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. |+ \5 @0 q4 U$ f9 i: U
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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.2 K( @7 T$ h: i/ p9 A* \
! A$ W! `2 p4 \6 @' uThe $170 million project, approved Tuesday by city council, could lighten that load by providing everything from new apartment units to basement suites and mobile homes, he said.
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"I'm hoping that we can really start adding to the affordable housing, transition housing and supportive housing infrastructure in our community," he said.0 W# f& k w0 p$ |) Y
, p( }+ k' R0 }1 D) DIn the past, most people stayed at the YMCA for a few days or weeks until they could get established. Now they remain for months.6 ] f$ c/ W/ p5 [# W% y. t
# ]. |, l' `4 p+ V+ w3 {"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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- q0 M* ?7 ~5 y: OCity officials hope some of the new affordable housing units will be ready in as soon as 18 months.
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6 y- r: t U* hBut 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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"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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