Key takeaways:
- The city is also pursuing more provincial funds for supportive housing processes.
- The city says it hopes to reach those targets and is setting ambitious four-year housing plans.
The City of Edmonton is on the way to meeting — or, potentially, surpassing — affordable housing marks it set four years back.
In 2018, the city committed to paying $132 million for 600 supportive housing divisions, which need staff to help renters with a range of services, and 2,500 new or refurbished affordable housing units from 2019 through 2022.
The city says it hopes to exceed those marks and is setting ambitious four-year housing plans.
“If we want to help Edmontonians in being more resilient and able to support housing, we ought to guarantee that there’s a sufficient supply of affordable accommodation for all,” said Christel Kjenner, the city’s director of housing and homelessness.
“The triumph we’ve had in the previous five years indicates it is likely and possible, and we ought to continue making on this momentum.”
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Councilors will be discussing new information about Edmonton’s housing and homelessness industries at the end of the month. A one-year update of gain so far was provided Friday.
As of June 1, the city had committed $115 million in land and grants toward about 650 supportive housing units and approximately 2,400 affordable accommodation units.
A provincial grant was used to renovate approximately 1,560 units of city-owned social housing. According to a city representative, the city hopes 1,500 affordable housing units will be online this year, including almost 400 supportive housing units.
In the fall, the city administration intends to request the council for more funds to help build 2,400 to 3,500 new and renovated units by the end of 2026.
Kjenner said affordable housing is critical to managing homelessness long-term.
Source – cbc.ca
