 鲜花( 2)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonto ... /20/housing-ed.html
& \" j" U* M$ a5 c2 _' o* L. Z" ^* g
Edmonton plans thousands of affordable homes
5 B7 H# s' i" b0 BLast Updated: Wednesday, June 20, 2007 | 11:02 AM MT
, V+ A% ]/ D+ d+ b. J9 A& fCBC News
- {) i" Q }/ u0 N0 e
) ^2 U/ n$ ]# N+ X! F1 WAn 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.# x, i+ D; a6 ~8 `# X: e9 v s
' X: `9 h0 D2 r, }2 A9 y5 m
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.
: h/ f/ Y. o/ [: K2 E" E( L' J" t
' U4 @" H' o5 i5 _* b# SThe $170 million project, approved Tuesday by city council, could lighten that load by providing everything from new apartment units to basement suites and mobile homes, he said. ) c+ G# |* M- F7 D$ w. s
: z. t; D5 c3 N' {1 N5 Y: E"I'm hoping that we can really start adding to the affordable housing, transition housing and supportive housing infrastructure in our community," he said.
% k+ i7 {, G9 v9 ~' Y1 {7 \% h( h$ U: y% l
In 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 C9 I; n+ L' T6 @* p
; W+ b C9 {# w4 s$ e+ R& b& {* w0 x
"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.
1 _, p; K5 A" K; @" C& s; IContinue Article5 K& B, V4 R% W( F1 N
' P- F6 u, D+ B, N: ]. O( e0 H. d' m0 q4 W" ^
City officials hope some of the new affordable housing units will be ready in as soon as 18 months.
! L) N! @/ V7 y$ V! p. L! u# ]* q+ J2 m9 a$ a) P% e0 [
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.3 @5 r2 m& p1 u: g/ x
/ `: P% ^5 z2 g1 D Y; y+ |
"It's going to take time — this is not an overnight solution by any means — but I think we are making good progress." |
|