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http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonto ... /20/housing-ed.html
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0 o2 O* _# O+ O# x1 U9 W- NEdmonton plans thousands of affordable homes
$ n$ D$ o) M: |" ?3 D3 ?! M2 yLast Updated: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 | 11:02 AM MT 3 s- Q8 U8 ~6 F& O, @" N
CBC 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.+ V0 N# a2 j1 M I C- T% e
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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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The $170 million project, approved Tuesday by city council, could lighten that load by providing everything from new apartment units to basement suites and mobile homes, he said. 2 u+ z4 r! `' l, W
, U4 U0 c: b* i9 E. r"I'm hoping that we can really start adding to the affordable housing, transition housing and supportive housing infrastructure in our community," he said.
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0 T1 U: m* B) z9 x$ W U% c G. RIn the past, most people stayed at the YMCA for a few days or weeks until they could get established. Now they remain for months.: i4 f9 H2 T3 c7 d5 Z4 l
; F. v! N- a& k" {/ c. K) W"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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/ g O1 x* s+ j5 ?6 g" XCity officials hope some of the new affordable housing units will be ready in as soon as 18 months.( O# I+ q* x0 X) B
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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.
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# f' g' @7 F: [9 V6 b& O4 ^"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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