| City council has announced it will be unable to meet its goal of creating 200 affordable housing units per year for the next three years without the help of the federal and provincial governments.
The estimated price tag on the city’s housing goal is $118 million, of which the city currently has $39 million. This shortfall comes at a time when housing vacancies are at a mere 1.7 per cent, according to a report on the 2005 housing market. The report states that this is the result of the conversion of apartments to high-end condos.
Ald. Joe Ceci says the city is trying its best to meet the increasing demand for affordable housing, but the ultimate responsibility falls on the provincial government. "Constitutionally, the province has responsibility for housing programs," he says. "They are under-funding their mandated program, and this city is stepping into it to try to address the needs of Calgarians."
Council recently pledged to devote $5 million to leverage more provincial and federal funding for affordable housing.
Terry Roberts of the Calgary Homeless Foundation is backing the city in its call for more provincial funding. "We understand the situation faced by the city, and we appreciate the increased emphasis they are placing on affordable housing, despite its limited resources." |
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