Halifax Allocates $8.7-Million For Affordable Housing Projects
HALIFAX – The city is moving forward with a plan to allocate $8.7-million dollars of federal funding in order to fund shelter projects. The HRM Council, during its November 24 meeting, said it will fund developments through three non-profits: the Mi’kmaq Friendship Centre, Adsum Women and Children, and the North End Community Health Association.
“When the (funding) was originally announced, municipal staff reached out directly to approximately 40 non-profit housing providers, numerous housing advocates and launched a website seeking expressions of interest,” states a write-up on the halifax.ca website.
The $8.7-million came from the federal government’s Rapid Housing Initiative, a $1-billion fund aimed to accelerate the construciton of affordable housing initiatives across Canada. The money is much needed in Halifax, where the cost of rent is skyrocketing, and vacancy rates are at historic lows.
The funding was announced less than a month ago and gave the municipality little time to find third-party partners to build the new units.
“We only have a month to figure this piece out and we have to have a plan into the federal government before the beginning of December, Halifax Mayor Mike Savage told Huddle Today back in October. “And the projects have to be completed in a year as well. We’re not like some cities that have a mandate for affordable housing, who have a list of projects they’re working on…we have to do this very quickly.”
RELATED: Halifax Will Get $8.7-Million For Affordable Housing, But It Must Build Quickly
According to a staff report on the city’s plans to allocate the money, 32.7 percent is aimed at housing for the “Urban Indigenous” population, while 48 percent is earmarked for women.
The three projects combined will create 52 units at a cost of $8,083,213. That leaves a little more than $576,000 left for contingency. When the funding was first announced, Halifax had to make sure at least a minimum of 28 permanent units were created. So, this current plan nearly doubles the minimum requirement. The units also must be operational for a minimum of 20 years under the agreement.
Here is a breakdown of the three groups’ funding proposals as laid out in the staff report:
- Mi’kmaq Native Friendship Centre: $2,878,400 for 17 units on 5823 College Street in Halifax. The funding will allow the friendship centre to redevelop the property into a 30-bed shelter spread out over the 17 units.
- Adsum Women and Children: $3,977,188 for 25 units at their shelter at Lakeside. The funding would expand the existing shelter for women and women with children.
- North End Community Health Association: $1,227,625 for 10 rooms, targeted at homeless African Nova Scotians. The funding will allow the association to renovate a vacant building into the shared-housing units on Maitland Street in Halifax