 鲜花( 2)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonto ... /20/housing-ed.html; h/ R# E# V& o
/ l2 M* @" d, y/ V2 l2 i! l, Y
Edmonton plans thousands of affordable homes
6 g. A. D; a3 ]) ~& T+ b2 J* @8 l9 GLast Updated: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 | 11:02 AM MT ; E1 M' s7 y3 y0 T
CBC News & J+ u. L4 I0 n: L& ]* z5 T, B
" X% e0 {) B: K4 f- }
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.
, t7 }/ T- ~8 P! S* H$ I. F0 ?$ T' o- R9 Z' B3 ^
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.
+ F, m: |1 y! Y; b$ T1 |9 H) F6 h; s. |# s* i' o# P
The $170 million project, approved Tuesday by city council, could lighten that load by providing everything from new apartment units to basement suites and mobile homes, he said. 7 p9 a3 |) M! b; X/ @* U. }: e
, T9 ^; \3 H8 r' c2 e2 A"I'm hoping that we can really start adding to the affordable housing, transition housing and supportive housing infrastructure in our community," he said.
: Z& D7 q- r2 G+ S; P* u" `
9 n b5 r7 Y+ t: s P% O* VIn the past, most people stayed at the YMCA for a few days or weeks until they could get established. Now they remain for months.
9 T+ L7 B6 R$ w# m
1 I: Y4 j& n# ]2 ~2 L"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.
+ d9 ^& a7 r4 Q. ~7 \Continue Article4 \4 F* R4 l$ t M
! u& }! \; M. _: D
: V* ], A' D8 N) n8 _" QCity officials hope some of the new affordable housing units will be ready in as soon as 18 months.
5 ^% {4 @* Q. W5 P
9 Q" q s( d' h/ jBut 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.
, J2 _% |3 m$ ^3 t/ l
$ T- X/ d, Y# X6 E( ?2 q"It's going to take time — this is not an overnight solution by any means — but I think we are making good progress." |
|