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http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonto ... /20/housing-ed.html
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- F, x8 G$ P2 u; _Edmonton plans thousands of affordable homes( A7 T& y$ ~0 ? S$ p$ s0 l
Last Updated: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 | 11:02 AM MT
3 v; X( R' q) N* B. QCBC News 6 X: k' }) L- E" z7 b; H7 R/ K7 m
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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.
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% m1 K$ m: `; y$ {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 $170 million project, approved Tuesday by city council, could lighten that load by providing everything from new apartment units to basement suites and mobile homes, he said.
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"I'm hoping that we can really start adding to the affordable housing, transition housing and supportive housing infrastructure in our community," he said.
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In the past, most people stayed at the YMCA for a few days or weeks until they could get established. Now they remain for months.. k, g$ [, r D8 G/ F' ^
: }, m; a" m) I4 o! Q"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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8 X4 L$ B1 T0 U/ p$ y- u c& u, ~0 M0 FCity officials hope some of the new affordable housing units will be ready in as soon as 18 months.9 [5 T4 |0 L. s7 ^( f" m3 _
# H0 R* R3 y7 f; w, D; L( [7 h% NBut 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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