 鲜花( 2)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonto ... /20/housing-ed.html
3 S4 ]( ~2 j( g+ E4 N. N% O7 S/ W) t, c+ y* x9 q" V, D. @8 c# A
Edmonton plans thousands of affordable homes
' H% J% [" c1 X; i( S! j7 MLast Updated: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 | 11:02 AM MT
% p! I: g3 I! P! f) P, Q- ?5 {; nCBC News 1 B3 Y8 ^; H1 L5 i4 y8 g
' D- E# C E, z. SAn 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.% k+ h* p J5 b6 ^) D s
7 G( s9 N v3 ]
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.
3 N3 _ u% _3 p
' l7 W2 J5 Y. m8 [1 c& s4 sThe $170 million project, approved Tuesday by city council, could lighten that load by providing everything from new apartment units to basement suites and mobile homes, he said. . a. t% h* n1 k/ Q
; ]( ]& t; a) x% |& `% h$ i
"I'm hoping that we can really start adding to the affordable housing, transition housing and supportive housing infrastructure in our community," he said.2 l4 S0 U0 A) M1 `8 U
" S1 W- t/ V- G5 M; D3 lIn the past, most people stayed at the YMCA for a few days or weeks until they could get established. Now they remain for months.% k0 I& i5 K; M; m
& n& v Y% W* y0 Z- r2 J6 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. m7 G. a0 m0 K; F) ~
Continue Article$ x! m2 q5 V$ e5 V# O
! j/ q5 N* E8 D( H9 a! ~/ V
% u6 Q0 C4 W+ ?. ~- C/ l1 {% j8 jCity officials hope some of the new affordable housing units will be ready in as soon as 18 months.
8 G5 Q0 K8 N. y' U
9 [" r3 S! [4 oBut 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.
; V) L1 X5 o! t4 H+ Z6 e: g0 U9 }% V5 U+ e* x/ |
"It's going to take time — this is not an overnight solution by any means — but I think we are making good progress." |
|