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http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonto ... /20/housing-ed.html N; ~" t; C* y$ n5 v! m: I
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Edmonton plans thousands of affordable homes
7 T7 C1 Z O! a! ]5 A8 X' [7 gLast Updated: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 | 11:02 AM MT 2 {) g8 ?' V# d/ d5 N
CBC News ( G8 Y/ o% [" O& F) \
8 x( A5 R1 m! P& LAn 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.& z+ n7 D, w6 A* }
: o. B3 l: F% _9 \! UCam 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.+ z3 Q1 n/ I# X$ T" _" ?
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The $170 million project, approved Tuesday by city council, could lighten that load by providing everything from new apartment units to basement suites and mobile homes, he said. Y, B( |% e' Y* @ w
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"I'm hoping that we can really start adding to the affordable housing, transition housing and supportive housing infrastructure in our community," he said.& {% B3 s9 \& i$ I8 U7 \
1 x5 ]+ J0 w0 q# e9 ~$ t- @4 SIn the past, most people stayed at the YMCA for a few days or weeks until they could get established. Now they remain for months.3 ~6 i+ Q( R# ^. |" Y1 i) {
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"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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9 C3 l' N& p+ {0 l( k3 Z* d2 i' DCity officials hope some of the new affordable housing units will be ready in as soon as 18 months.
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4 i- V% ^9 B% b' S9 }. ~% 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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