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http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonto ... /20/housing-ed.html
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Edmonton plans thousands of affordable homes
# q( l# h8 Z7 d. l$ mLast Updated: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 | 11:02 AM MT
@- K. M2 K8 Y# M8 yCBC News ( G2 ]1 v( b/ x7 `8 N4 }
$ j' A/ N! r+ h' Q1 K9 q( n) ?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.- t$ C) y# n% e6 n1 @/ U0 d
- o0 G1 a2 ~5 Z) _) Q+ C: r+ mCam 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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2 ?/ T: O9 @- o& B8 SThe $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.5 z3 {* n) t7 o3 C- K
, W/ n4 r: N K+ }) Z7 J5 V" CIn 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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" x: {3 T& G3 Q+ x( h"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.6 A% X! z' H8 w* m4 h0 d2 u
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City officials hope some of the new affordable housing units will be ready in as soon as 18 months.% ~! G P0 y. n# ~1 I) y
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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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"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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