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http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonto ... /20/housing-ed.html5 r. D } o" Z" ?5 }7 }
5 B) v: s5 R S) G0 ~Edmonton plans thousands of affordable homes9 t. i, J; ^# c' Y( I7 J
Last Updated: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 | 11:02 AM MT 3 I7 v, i. `, H1 h) P9 \
CBC News ; ~, k3 i5 {% o5 w
# G. y9 K3 }* l; Z, DAn 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.9 U, V; K9 ?% N9 G: r- c
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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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$ a# A: f6 Z- yThe $170 million project, approved Tuesday by city council, could lighten that load by providing everything from new apartment units to basement suites and mobile homes, he said. - o* L0 n3 {* W' Z
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"I'm hoping that we can really start adding to the affordable housing, transition housing and supportive housing infrastructure in our community," he said.
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8 S. |& K l2 m$ |8 z' 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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3 G$ @: m" f. b"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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City officials hope some of the new affordable housing units will be ready in as soon as 18 months.
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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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3 `1 M0 v% C. w"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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