 鲜花( 2)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonto ... /20/housing-ed.html
, Z; C* `) h) P B9 C8 B% g9 N
# h5 q. E* E. oEdmonton plans thousands of affordable homes
5 ~ r& l8 @1 `0 o: g& T8 lLast Updated: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 | 11:02 AM MT u1 f+ z* |; s H" ?, z
CBC News B+ s0 [+ O8 o; O
4 h% w6 [3 x$ nAn 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., c$ L7 B" ~9 g% w! j# e% X: C5 f
! P) C. }2 G+ v. G; ^
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.
5 j+ x7 M7 y* U: K* {6 d& o5 H2 j" k/ h
The $170 million project, approved Tuesday by city council, could lighten that load by providing everything from new apartment units to basement suites and mobile homes, he said. 4 C8 y' ~$ F9 ~( Q* u V$ {
. H2 p: m1 _$ g3 r& s"I'm hoping that we can really start adding to the affordable housing, transition housing and supportive housing infrastructure in our community," he said.
+ p4 H) O& z% U
- D& L8 \8 } XIn the past, most people stayed at the YMCA for a few days or weeks until they could get established. Now they remain for months.5 l# ]( B' P: }
% a4 r( o2 n; L7 ?% L& 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.
. t+ E; l) L t2 e3 PContinue Article6 O/ d* w6 K3 J- H/ e- _: r
2 B9 p- y. Z9 {# d3 L% F% K3 ?* B" `* u4 J, I
City officials hope some of the new affordable housing units will be ready in as soon as 18 months.2 W$ K# T' x' t7 j, s
& [0 q* f5 R6 ~7 z! E; z
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.
% q* t( y$ h# a9 @9 ^ t
8 s5 e! x% i* M% G5 Q. e: F"It's going to take time — this is not an overnight solution by any means — but I think we are making good progress." |
|