The City of Edmonton City Council announced the approval of two new affordable and supportive housing projects. The two developments—City-led supportive housing in Holyrood and Right At Home Housing Society’s Legacy project in King Edward Park—received $15.4 million in funding through the federal government’s Rapid Housing Initiative. Council approved $12.6 in new and previous contributions from the City’s affordable housing reserve for the projects; the Government of Alberta also contributed $4.9 million.
“The challenges of housing affordability and houselessness are too great for the City to meet alone. All three levels of government have come together to provide affordable housing and support for Edmontonians who need it most. This is a positive sign of things to come, and I look forward to continuing down the path of collaborative leadership with my government partners as we work to build an Edmonton for all of us,” said Mayor Amarjeet Sohi.
Council also approved the sale of the Holyrood site to Homeward Trust for $1. The City is leading construction of the 4-storey, 63-unit building, which will include 12 barrier-free units for people with disabilities. It is being designed by GEC Architecture, the firm that designed the first five City-led supportive housing sites, and constructed by Synergy Projects. Once the building is complete, it will be transferred to Homeward Trust, which will select a non-profit agency to run the supportive housing program. Tenants will be matched to the program based on their needs.
Right at Home Housing Society will rehabilitate and add on to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in King Edward Park, creating two wheelchair-accessible units and nine townhomes for families. Tenants will be referred by local community organizations, including Multicultural Health Brokers, Islamic Family and Social Services Association, and Spinal Cord Injury Alberta.
“The Right At Home Housing Society is deeply honored to partner with St. Paul’s Lutheran Church with support from the City of Edmonton, the Government of Alberta, and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to create perpetually affordable housing opportunities for families and individuals requiring wheel-chair accessible housing. This funding will empower the development and operation of the St. Paul’s Legacy Project, providing crucial affordable housing solutions for our community.” – Ahmed Shoaib, Acting CEO, Right at Home Housing Society
Featured image: An artists’ rendering of new supportive housing in Holyrood. (City of Edmonton)
