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http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonto ... /20/housing-ed.html
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Edmonton plans thousands of affordable homes0 l# F& D% I1 k/ f3 G* R
Last Updated: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 | 11:02 AM MT / ]& a# x }* ], d# V
CBC News * W# V+ I* C7 a! B6 C$ q4 t
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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.6 z; j) r4 S8 X3 i
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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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The $170 million project, approved Tuesday by city council, could lighten that load by providing everything from new apartment units to basement suites and mobile homes, he said.
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5 j: i; u: c1 _8 W# E4 p+ J"I'm hoping that we can really start adding to the affordable housing, transition housing and supportive housing infrastructure in our community," he said.
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7 E3 a) ]8 l$ J9 a$ S$ ^+ tIn the past, most people stayed at the YMCA for a few days or weeks until they could get established. Now they remain for months.* x1 A5 r6 T' L4 j' J, g
0 Z: F6 i/ g2 r1 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." r$ g! O3 Z1 Q# A2 j
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+ F6 e' K* g0 b/ U5 p3 P: E# j0 cCity officials hope some of the new affordable housing units will be ready in as soon as 18 months., Z8 F8 z/ u6 y' p! X2 u
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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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) S5 u" Y1 y! I( R+ L. u% O% p9 q6 a"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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