A new affordable housing rental complex has just been given a $1.3 million boost from the provincial and federal governments.
A further $375,000 has been allocated to help those most in need to pay the reduced rent once the complex is complete.
Developer Bob Youden says some things are more important than making money.
“You have somebody’s grandmother come to you and say ‘I can’t afford to live where I am now and I can’t afford my heating bill’ and you have to say ‘Sorry I don’t have anything you can rent’ you’d be building affordable housing, too.”
He says support from all three levels of government is what made the project possible.
“We couldn’t do it without our partners in this. There’s no formula that you can put together for construction costs that allows you to build affordable housing without the capital costs contribution. It just can’t be done.”
Youden says he hopes to break ground as soon as weather allows.
The goal is to have the project complete by February 2018.
MP Bernadette Jordan says the money is a show of commitment by the federal government to establish a housing strategy for the first time in 40 years.
“Because having a safe affordable place to live is important to everybody. And it’s not just a challenge in big cities, it’s a challenge in rural areas, it’s a challenge in small towns.”
Lunenburg MLA Suzanne Lohnes-Croft says providing government funds is what allows developers to keep costs low and pass those savings on to seniors.
“A piece of lumber for affordable housing costs as much as a piece of lumber for a big estate.”
She says the cost of housing is a huge problem in rural Nova Scotia and she’s glad to see progress being made.
The funds for this project are coming out of an $8.6 million pot set aside to repair and upgrade housing for Nova Scotia seniors.
Jordan says the full federal strategy is expected to be released before the end of the year.
