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May 27, 2008
Communities share $254 million to help create 2,200 units of affordable housing
Edmonton... Communities across Alberta will receive $242 million in capital funding to create more affordable housing units and $12.4 million to provide rent supplements for lower income residents. The total allocation of $254 million for community-based affordable housing is an increase of $42 million from 2007-08. “This funding will help create affordable housing where Albertans need it,” said Premier Ed Stelmach. “The province is pleased to be a partner in meeting local priorities to provide safe, affordable homes to Albertans.”
All Alberta municipalities, non-profit organizations and private industry may apply for $142 million for affordable housing projects under this year’s Request for Proposal (RFP) process. Last year, RFP funding was available only to municipalities under certain criteria. This year, the process is open to all municipalities, non-profit groups and private industry to encourage broader partnerships and innovation.
“We are making more project funding available to more potential applicants,” said Yvonne Fritz, Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs. “This is expected to encourage broader partnerships and innovation to meet Alberta’s housing needs.”
Municipalities will also continue to receive $100 million in block funding. This is the second year of a three year commitment of $100 million a year to municipalities for affordable housing. With $12.4 million in block funding for rent supplements for lower income residents, this year’s block funding to municipalities is $112.4 million.
Block funding eligibility is based on a formula that considers population growth, vacancy rates and average rents for a two-bedroom unit. Thirty-seven high-growth communities from Lethbridge to Peace River are receiving funding, up from 33 communities in 2007-08. Based on population this year, Calgary receives $47.9 million and Edmonton receives $34.3 million. Funding for other major cities include $3.8 million for Lethbridge, $4 million for Red Deer, $2.3 million for Grande Prairie and $1.5 million for Medicine Hat.
Municipalities must submit an affordable housing plan to receive their funding. Request for Proposal funding details and application forms will be available by mid-June at www.housing.alberta.ca.
The capital portion of this announcement, $242 million, is part of the $309 million in capital funding for affordable housing in Budget 2008. The balance is for off-reserve Aboriginal housing ($16 million), to create 300 affordable housing units in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo ($45 million), and to maintain existing social housing ($6 million).
Backgrounders attached: Funding allocations by community and funding comparison 2007-08 to 2008-09
Media inquiries may be directed to:
| Bill Strickland, Communications Housing and Urban Affairs 780-644-5253 |
To call toll free within Alberta dial 310-0000.
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2008-09 block funding for affordable housing by municipality
Thirty-seven Alberta municipalities are sharing $112.4 million in block funding for affordable housing. The funding allocations are based on a formula that considers the community’s population growth, average vacancy rate and average rents for a two-bedroom unit. The funds are released on approval of a municipal affordable housing plan that shows how the funding will be used.
MUNICIPALITY |
BLOCK FUNDING |
|
Municipality |
BLOCK FUNDING |
Airdrie |
$1,480,634 |
|
Lethbridge |
$3,838,409 |
Banff |
$238,129 |
|
Lloydminster |
$788,713 |
Beaumont |
$458,070 |
|
Medicine Hat |
$1,556,316 |
Brooks |
$370,832 |
|
Morinville |
$184,993 |
Calgary |
$47,923,357 |
|
Okotoks |
$805,581 |
Camrose |
$432,788 |
|
Olds |
$197,908 |
Canmore |
$328,728 |
|
Peace River |
$172,432 |
Cochrane |
$646,532 |
|
Red Deer |
$4,026,966 |
Cold Lake |
$351,145 |
|
Rocky Mtn House |
$197,444 |
Devon |
$298,880 |
|
Slave Lake |
$191,983 |
Drayton Valley |
$323,877 |
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Spruce Grove |
$916,046 |
Edmonton |
$34,317,518 |
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St. Albert |
$1,576,030 |
Edson |
$393,041 |
|
Stony Plain |
$337,574 |
Fort Saskatchewan. |
$758,642 |
|
Strathcona County |
$3,876,890 |
Grande Prairie |
$2,359,984 |
|
Strathmore |
$521,643 |
High River |
$292,603 |
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Sylvan Lake |
$292,958 |
Hinton |
$266,745 |
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Wetaskiwin |
$318,734 |
Lacombe |
$315,703 |
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Whitecourt |
$244,955 |
Leduc |
$797,217 |
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The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo is not included in this block funding. For the second year in a row, Wood Buffalo receives a dedicated $45 million to support the creation of 300 affordable housing units. This commitment is in response to the municipality’s unique needs, especially in Fort McMurray, as recommended in the report "Investing in Our Future: Responding to the Rapid Growth in Oil Sands Development" (Radke report).
2008-09 Request for Proposal capital funding for affordable housing
All municipalities, non-profit organizations and private industry may apply for further capital funding for affordable housing through a $142 million Request for Proposal (RFP) process.
The RFP application criteria and process are being finalized. Details and application forms will be available by mid-June at
Media inquiries may be directed to:
| Bill Strickland, Communications Housing and Urban Affairs 780-644-5253 |
To call toll free within Alberta dial 310-0000.
Affordable housing funding comparison-2007-08 to 2008-
2007-08 |
2008-09 |
$279 million total community funding |
$321 million total community funding |
Target: 2,100 affordable housing units |
Target: 2,200 affordable housing units |
$45 million Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo |
$45 million Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo |
$16 million off-reserve Aboriginal housing |
$16 million off-reserve Aboriginal housing |
$5 million maintenance for existing community housing, and adding to an existing development |
$6 million maintenance for existing community housing |
$145.4 million* Block funding, |
$112.4 million* Block funding, second year |
$68** million distributed through Requests for Proposals to municipalities that did not qualify for block funding or who received less than |
$142 million Requests for Proposals to all municipalities, non-profit groups, private developers |
*In response to the Affordable Housing Task Force report, government made a three-year commitment of $100 million a year in capital funding to municipalities.
**This amount included funding from the Municipal Sustainability Housing Initiative and Capital Enhancement Program, both under the former ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Funding from Housing and Urban Affairs is now provided under the Affordable Housing Program Capital Grants.
Media inquiries may be directed to:
| Bill Strickland, Communications Housing and Urban Affairs 780-644-5253 |
To call toll free within Alberta dial 310-0000.
Copyright(©) 2008 Government of Alberta
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