Posts Tagged ‘Affordable Housing’

Canadian Funding Corp Forges New Connections and Everybody Wins

Affordable Housing, Community Service, disabilities | Posted by admin
Jun 30 2009

July 1, 2009, Canadian Funding Corp, Halifax, Nova Scotia – Sometimes, as Canadian Funding Corporation makes plain, the element that nurtures an affordable housing project towards success depends on what resources are brought together. This was demonstrated in Halifax, where a community of unlimited opportunity was created for people with serious or recurring mental illness.

Canadian Funding Corporation is entranced by how Connections Clubhouse evolved through discussions with the Halifax Metropolitan Regional Housing Authority (MRHA) and the Capital District Health Authority about the needs of people living with mental illness. What emerged was a need for connections–connections with existing housing resources, with MRHA staff, with community support and development programs and with each other.

Connections Clubhouse works with its members and community partners to help people get the support they need to find homes. The concepts behind the Clubhouse Community Outreach and Housing Program are housing spread throughout the community; providing flexible individualized supports; consumer choice; assistance in locating and maintaining housing; unrestricted length of tenure in the residence; and community based peer support.

Connections Clubhouse members define their own housing needs. This individualized planning contributes to greater housing satisfaction, stability and longevity. Members’ housing choices are not limited by previous classifications or identified disabilities; members have the right to try the most independent option they wish, with flexibility to try a variety of options and possibilities.

Support services include crisis prevention and interventions, peer support, delivery of medication, access to a respite apartment and psychiatric support. What is essential to the creation of a community is the active involvement of its members, who are empowered to design and implement support networks, advocate for the program and serve as mentors for other members, either directly or through a Clubhouse-sponsored chat line. A number of other initiatives are run by Clubhouse members as part of the Community Outreach and Housing Program:

  • Gung Ho, a co-operative convenience store;
  • visits to members who are in hospital or isolated at home;
  • Neighbourhood Networks, which provides opportunities for members with common interests to get together; and
  • a furniture and recycling store.

With 42 MRHA social-housing units, and three apartments as a base for support services, the Connections Clubhouse members now have a safer and stable base for personal growth and community involvement. Clubhouse members report that the housing program has helped give people peace of mind, greater independence and opportunities for employment, as well as stable mental health and a better outlook on life.

And so it goes, as Canadian Funding Corp observes, Connections Clubhouse contributes to the larger community by reducing hospitalization time and opening opportunities for members to find housing and employment of their own– an “everybody wins” approach that brought Connections Clubhouse a CMHC Housing Award in 2006 for best practices in affordable housing.

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Canadian Funding Corporation Reports Affordable Housing in New Brunswick Gets a $99-Million Boost

New Brunswick | Posted by admin
Jun 01 2009

According to Moishe Alexander, CEO Canadian Funding Corporation the Government of Canada and the Province of New Brunswick are partnering on a joint investment worth $99 million to build new and renovate existing affordable housing. This investment will help create jobs, strengthen the economy, and improve the quality of life for residents of New Brunswick.

Moishe Alexander notes that both levels of government officially signed an amendment to the Canada – New Brunswick Affordable Housing Program Agreement and an extension of the Housing Renovation Program Agreement. Overall, the federal contribution is $53 million, while the province is contributing a further $46 million.

The Honourable Greg Thompson, Minister of Veteran Affairs, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), joined the Honourable Mary Schryer, Social Development Minister for New Brunswick and Minister Responsible for Housing, at a signing ceremony today. The Honourable Shawn Graham, Premier of New Brunswick, also attended.

“Our government is working hard to support Canadians during these challenging economic times, and we have moved aggressively to ensure our Economic Action Plan is implemented rapidly,” said Minister Thompson. “We are helping our most vulnerable Canadians, including seniors and persons with disabilities, to access suitable, affordable housing, as well as making needed renovations to existing social housing both in New Brunswick and across Canada.”

“Improved access to safe, secure and affordable housing will help us achieve self-sufficiency in our province, while also helping our economy by stimulating record affordable housing developments over the next two years,” said Minister Schryer. “It is estimated that every $1 million invested in housing generates economic spin-offs worth $2.5 million.”

Today’s announcement includes federal funding of $37.3 million over two years under Canada’s Economic Action Plan as part of a one-time investment of more than $2 billion to build new and renovate existing social housing in Canada. The province will also contribute $37.3 million for these initiatives.

These investments build upon the $1.9 billion commitment for housing and homelessness programs announced by the Government of Canada in September 2008, which extended the Affordable Housing Initiative (AHI) and the renovation programs for low-income households for two years. Today’s announcement includes a further combined investment of $24 million by both levels of government for the two-year extensions to build new affordable housing and assist low-income households with needed renovations to their homes.

“Our government is committed to the creation of more affordable housing for those in need,” said Premier Graham. “This agreement will provide for the creation of more than 500 new homes, while a further $39 million will be invested in repairs and upgrades to existing social housing infrastructure.”

The announcement was held at Luther Place Apartments, a new 45-unit affordable housing project for seniors and individuals that celebrated its official opening today.

Located at 1039 Regent Street, the project received a total of $550,000 in federal funding under the Canada – New Brunswick Affordable Housing Initiative and $690,000 from the Housing Trust Fund, for a total of $1.24 million to off-set construction costs, as well as approximately $3 million in rent supplement assistance from the Province of New Brunswick for 45 units.

“I am very pleased that the federal government and New Brunswick are partnering to provide much needed funding for affordable housing in our communities,” said Ron Steeves, President of the New Brunswick Non-Profit Housing Association. “These investments will help lower-income people, seniors and families, access affordable housing in New Brunswick.”

CMHC has been Canada’s national housing agency for more than 60 years. CMHC is committed to helping Canadians access a wide choice of quality, affordable homes and making vibrant and sustainable communities and cities a reality across the country.

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The CFC Reports on Blue Heron Co-op in Ottawa, Ontario

Affordable Housing, Canada, Ontario | Posted by admin
Mar 29 2009

The city of Ottawa has created sustainable and affordable housing by incorporating energy saving features for families in low and moderate income brackets. The Canadian Funding Corporation reviews a report from the CMHC about the Blue Heron Co-op.

Tenacity paid off for a small group of housing co-op members, who, after 10 years of work and determination built the first housing co-op in Ontario in nearly a decade. Located in Ottawa’s western community of Kanata, Blue Heron Co-op sets new standards for sustainable building in affordable housing by incorporating energy- and water-saving features. The Co-op’s vision and support for innovation in energy efficiency helped land its architect the local Homebuilders Association’s very first award for Sustainable Housing.

The Affordable Housing Solution

Blue Heron Co-op, which is close to schools and community services, opened in September, 2006. The 83-unit project has 58 apartments and 25 townhouses for families with children and single people. Households pay housing charges that are either geared to income, 70 per cent of the average market rent, or average market rent.

The Co-op incorporates a range of sustainable building features,such as a computerized heating and cooling system, good quality windows, a well-designed energy conserving envelope, low-wattage light bulbs and motion-sensing light fixtures in common spaces. A high-efficiency gas boiler and chiller heat and cool a water loop system with in-unit heat pumps also reduces energy consumption. The shared laundry room has water- and energy-saving washers and natural gas clothes dryers. All units have water-conserving toilets and plumbing fixtures. Such as a computerized heating and cooling system, good quality windows, a well-designed energy conserving envelope, low-wattage light bulbs and motion-sensing light fixtures in common spaces. A high-efficiency gas boiler and chiller heat and cool a water loop system with in-unit heat pumps also reduces energy consumption. The shared laundry room has water- and energy-saving washers and natural gas clothes dryers. All units have water-conserving toilets and plumbing fixtures.

March provided a long-term lease on its surplus land for property to build the Co-op. Blue Heron Co-operative Homes received about $2.4 million from CMHC and the province of Ontario through the Affordable Housing Initiative. The City of Ottawa provided $3.2 million in financial incentives and a loan guarantee to assist with pre-development costs. Other local co-ops—such as McLean Co-op in southern Ottawa—are using Blue Heron Co-op’s sustainable building features as a model to develop affordable housing that meets the needs of the community.

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