City council approves grants for affordable housing in Lethbridge

The Aboriginal Housing Society in Lethbridge has secured a new partnership that will better accommodate the needs for affordable housing.

In response to two applications put forward by AHS, Lethbridge City Council recently approved $1.14 million in grant funding which will create the comfort of home for many urban Aboriginal as well as non-Aboriginal tenants.
About 300 Aboriginal people are interested in applying for these new homes, said AHS general manager Boyd Thomas.

“(The approved funding) will focus on people and actually get them into housing… (and) the city- recognizing that people are in desperate need of houses. Especially those of Aboriginal heritage,” said Thomas.

The overall cost of the developments sits at $2.66 million and along with the grants, the remaining amount will be covered by AHS through a mortgage, said AHS financial officer Jim Short.

Getting city council approval is not only good financially, but means much-needed local support. From the AHS perspective the support from the city helps to establish AHS as a reputable Aboriginal housing organization within the industry.

“It’s a tremendous (help) to our organization, simply because the city recognizes the contributions we’ve already made to housing in Lethbridge,” said Short.
AHS now has a total of 41 housing units, which makes the organization “a very significant player in the housing industry here in the city,” said Short.

The shared finances between the city and AHS will increase revenue and further increase the amount of inventory for houses available, said Thomas.

 Short pointed out that the city’s commitment has gone beyond the finances recently approved. Council has agreed that these developments will be affordable housing for the next 20 years.

Twelve units are to be developed, all comprised of three and four bedrooms. Two four-unit townhouse complexes, at $1.64 million, will be situated in the north end of the city, while two duplexes, at $1.02 million, will be built in the west.

Construction began in early July and Short said some families may even be ready to move in by the early fall.  However, the majority of families aren’t expected into their new accommodations until the beginning of next spring.

Over a year ago, KohKoonoon, a 29-unit complex, was developed by AHS. It is now the model and foundation which will be followed in respect to the process of these new developments, said Thomas.

AHS recognizes that people of Aboriginal heritage, demographically are at a disadvantage for housing opportunities in urban areas, he said. However, Thomas is optimistic that programming AHS is now developing will provide educational and support resources to those people who are serious about pursuing and establishing their careers. This will allow potential tenants to be financially ready to move on to home ownership in their near future.