Province unveils housing strategy

L-R: Tracey McLean-Schultz (tenant liason Calgary Housing Company), Lorne Dach (MLA, Edmonton-McLung), Minister Lori Sigurdson, Mayor Don Iveson (Edmonton) – GOA Photo

by Morinville News Staff

The NDP says a new Provincial Affordable Housing Strategy will help more Albertans save for the future and find a safe and affordable place to call home.

Currently, more than 110,000 Albertans live in government-supported affordable housing. The province’s strategy will give people in government-supported housing and their families new tools to help stabilize finances, and find a safe home.

“Living in government-supported housing shouldn’t stand in the way of people who want a better job or to save for the future,” said Lori Sigurdson, Minister of Seniors and Housing, in a release Monday. “With the new affordable housing strategy, our government is standing behind families, not in their way. New tools will help people save, get better jobs and live in safe, secure homes.”

Under the standard system, tenants could be kicked out of their homes when they got a better job that put their income slightly above the low-income limit. The government is now piloting mixed-income models to allow tenants to pay an adjusted rent so they can choose to stay in their homes.

The Provincial Affordable Housing Strategy also increases asset limit for tenants in affordable housing from $7,000 to $25,000, something the government sees as allowing more families to save for their education, or a down payment on a house, or put money away as a safety net for the future.

The strategy was developed with input from about 1,800 tenants and housing providers. It is built on three principles that go beyond the bricks and mortar of a house by prioritizing people and focusing on their success and well-being.

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