News Releases
Trust Fund Approves Close to $5M For Projects To Support The Homeless
[April 18, 2007]
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New units will bolster supply of affordable housing in Edmonton
Sixty-seven units of new, affordable housing located at three separate facilities will come on stream in
Edmonton to support the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless, including Aboriginal men, women and children, low-income individuals and families and people with mental health issues.
The projects are part of a $4.9 million multiple funding announcement made today by the Edmonton Housing Trust Fund that will pay for land purchases for two proposed housing projects and land and construction purchases for a third project. Today’s announcement also includes funding for four other housing and homelessness-related projects.
“The Trust Fund believes in the importance of community partnerships. Today’s announcement brings together organizations that are committed to meeting the housing challenges faced by low-income Edmontonians,” said Harvey Voogd, Chair of the Trust Fund. “The projects that will result in new units and those that are being renovated will provide both quality and affordability for those individuals who are facing barriers to adequate housing,” Voogd added.
The Capital Region Housing Corporation received $1.1 million to purchase a parcel of land in trust on behalf of NiGiNan Housing Ventures Ltd. at 96 Street and 106 Avenue to construct a 36-unit, 24/7 long-term supportive housing complex to house homeless Aboriginal men and women. The Canadian Mental Health Association of Edmonton received $523,000 to purchase land at 116 Avenue and 124 Street. The construction of a 25-unit long-term supportive housing facility will be targeted to lowincome single persons with mental health issues. Funding for the third project valued at $1.5 million, is a six-unit, six-bedroom long-term supportive townhouse complex at 59 Street and 118 Avenue for large Aboriginal families, built by Concept Homes Ltd. for the Umisk Affordable Housing Society.
In addition to the creation of new units, the Trust Fund provided $294,000 in funding to the YMCA for renovations and $407,000 to E4C for the purchase of an existing building. The YMCA has begun renovations and upgrades on its 106-unit facility at 100 Street and 102A Avenue. E4C has purchased a 10-unit apartment building at 95 Street and 110A Avenue for long-term supportive housing exclusively for women.
The George Spady Centre Society received $132,000 of funding for a one year pilot project that will provide transitional housing and support services to homeless men who have completed detoxification treatment and require a safe environment before moving on to a treatment centre. Five beds will be set aside at the YMCA and overnight support services will be available for the men seven days a week.
The final portion of the announced funding was to cover initiatives under the Winter Emergency Response Plan. Over $900,000 was distributed to fund activities associated with this year’s homelessness situation, including additional mats, warming centres and a van for transporting the homeless to city shelters.
EDMONTON HOUSING TRUST FUND BACKGROUNDER
Project: Capital Region Housing Corporation/NiGiNan Housing Ventures Ltd.
Project Location: 9649, 9643/9641/9637/9633/9629/9627 - 106 Street
EHTF Funding (Estimated Total Project Cost in Brackets): $1,127,280 (land) ($9 million)
Housing Type: Long-term supportive with a harm reduction community building model. Targeted to homeless Aboriginal
men and women aged 30-55.
Unit / Spaces: 36 units
Completion Date: 2009
Project Synopsis: A partnership between CRHC and NiGigNan to develop 36 units of long-term supportive housing. NHV will construct the four-story apartment complex and CRHC will continue to own, manage and provide financial administration for a minimum period of three years. The Trust Fund provided funding to secure the land.
Contact:
Mike Leathwood
CRHC
780- 454-1212 Ext. 207
Faye Dewar
(NHV)
780- 908-4914
Project: Umisk Affordable Housing Society
Project Location: 5920-28 - 118 Avenue
EHTF Funding (Estimated Total Project Cost in Brackets): $1,515,160 ($1,714,817)
Housing Type: Long-term supportive for large Aboriginal families
Unit / Spaces: Six units with six bedrooms each
Completion Date: August 2007
Project Synopsis: The Umisk Affordable Housing Society will own and operate this facility as a long-term supportive housing project for large Aboriginal families. The Family Shelter Network will assist in housing tenants by providing referrals and support service.
Contact:
Cec Jones
780-452-6651
Project: Canadian Mental Health Association
Project Location: 11602/1608 – 124 Street 12402/12408 – 116 Avenue
EHTF Funding (Estimated Total Project Cost in Brackets): $523,389 (land) ($5,347,730)
Housing Type: Long-term supportive for low-income persons with mental health issues
Unit / Spaces: 25 units
Completion Date: TBA
Project Synopsis: The Canadian Mental Health Association has purchased two adjoining properties for the construction of a five-storey, 25 unit housing facility for low-income single people with mental health issues.
Contact:
Bill Hofmeyer
780-414-6300
Project: E4C
Project Location: 9515 – 110A Avenue
EHTF Funding (Estimated Total Project Cost in Brackets): $407,000 ($823,200)
Housing Type: Long-term supportive for women leaving transitional housing
Unit / Spaces: 10 units
Completion Date: Existing building
Project Synopsis: E4C has purchased a 10-unit existing apartment building to provide longterm supportive housing to women leaving transitional housing. The supportive management model will allow tenants to access a manager that
will be able to link them with support services.
Contact:
Sundari Devam
780-424-7543
Project: YMCA Edmonton
Project Location: 10030 – 102A Avenue
EHTF Funding (Estimated Total Project Cost in Brackets): $294,734 ($303, 234)
Housing Type: Transitional housing
Unit / Spaces: 106 units
Completion Date: June 2007
Project Synopsis: The YMCA will renovate and upgrade its existing 106 residential units and common areas within its downtown housing facility to increase security and safety.
Contact:
Cam MacDonald
780-421-9622
Project: George Spady Centre Society
Project Location: YMCA 10030 – 102A Avenue
EHTF Funding (Estimated Total Project Cost in Brackets): $132,499 ($146,499)
Housing Type: Transitional housing for men going through detoxification
Unit / Spaces: 5 units
Completion Date: January 2008
Project Synopsis: Five beds will be utilized at the downtown YMCA to provide transitional housing to men who are homeless and have completed detoxification treatment at the George Spady Centre.
Contact:
Lorette Garrick
780-424-8335
Project: Winter Emergency Response Plan
Project Location: Various
EHTF Funding (Estimated Total Project Cost in Brackets): $943,069
Housing Type: Emergency
Unit / Spaces: Various
Completion Date: April 30, 2007
Project Synopsis: The Trust Fund provided funding for various Winter Emergency Response Plan activities, including funding to the Hope Mission, the Jasper Place Health and Wellness Centre, the Boyle Street Cooperative, Strathcona
Baptist Church and the Salvation Army.
Contact:
Rob Martin
780-496-2630
TOTAL FUNDING BY EHTF = $4,934,131
The Edmonton Housing Trust Fund (EHTF) works in partnership with the three orders of government and the community. One of the main functions of the Edmonton Housing Trust Fund is to serve as the funding vehicle for affordable housing and support services in Edmonton by leveraging public with not-for-profi t and private sector funding so that it can be used to meet the highest priority needs in Edmonton as identifi ed in the community plan. The EHTF has funding agreements with the Government of Canada, the Province of Alberta and the City of Edmonton under various programs to support this mandate.
For more information on the Edmonton Housing Trust Fund, visit their web site at: www.ehtf.ca
For more information, please contact:
Jim Molnar, Communications Offi cer,
Edmonton Housing Trust Fund,
(780) 944-5697
The Edmonton Joint Planning Committee on Housing (EJPCOH) The Edmonton Joint Planning Committee on Housing is a community-based non-profi t entity that brings together representatives from three orders of government and a wide range of public and private sector stakeholders and community representatives.
Through the Edmonton Community Plan, EJPCOH coordinates community initiatives to address the priority low-income, special and transitional housing needs of Edmonton. In addition, EJPCOH works to prevent the at-risk groups from becoming homeless. EJPCOH fosters a collaborative environment between the many partners in our community who deliver and fund housing and support services.
For more information on the Edmonton Joint Planning Committee on Housing, visit their web site at: www.moresafehomes.net
For more information, please contact:
Susan McGee, Executive Director,
Edmonton Joint Planning Committee on Housing
(780) 496-6035
Government of Canada
Funding for these projects has been provided through the Government of Canada’s National Homelessness Initiative (NHI) under the Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI) and Urban Aboriginal Homelessness (UAH) components. Since it began in 1999, NHI has committed $44.8 million to the Edmonton Housing Trust Fund for projects aimed at helping the homeless and those at risk of homelessness in the Edmonton area.
On December 19, 2006, the federal government announced $525.6 million over two years in a new Homelessness Partnering Strategy, and in Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s renovation programs, including the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program. The new Homelessness Partnering Strategy began on April 1, 2007 with a funding amount of $134.8 million per year for two years. The Strategy will help communities across Canada to put in place the structures and supports needed to move individuals towards self-suffi ciency and participation in Canadian society and combat homelessness more effectively.
For more information on the Homelessness Partnering Strategy, visit their website at: www.homelessness.gc.ca
For more information, please contact:
Adria Pavic, Service Canada,
Communications Consultant,
(780) 495-5606
Government of Alberta
Through the provincial Homelessness Initiative, Alberta Seniors and Community Supports (Ministry responsible for housing) allocates funds on a year-to-year basis to community-based organizations in each of the seven major urban centres (i.e., Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, and Fort McMurray), in accordance with approved community plans and based upon the program criteria. The province has provided $1 million per year in funding since the inception of the Edmonton Housing Trust Fund in 1999.
For more information on the Government of Alberta’s Homelessness Initiative, visit the Alberta Municipal Affairs and Housing web site at: www.municipalaffairs.gov.ab.ca
For more information, please contact:
Robert Storrier, Communications Offi cer
Alberta Municipal Affairs and Housing
(780) 415-9952
City of Edmonton
The City of Edmonton, a founding member of the Edmonton Housing Trust Fund, appoints one of the seven trustees and provides approximately $1.2 million in funding to the Trust Fund annually
For information on Edmonton’s housing and homelessness initiatives, contact Housing Services at (780) 496-6029.
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