Housing Starts Here June 2010 edition

Message from the Minister

Spring has been a busy season as I have = been=20 travelling throughout the province and talking with Albertans about the = need for=20 affordable housing and our provincial strategy to end homelessness.

We unveiled all of the new affordable = housing and=20 housing for the homeless projects supported through the 2009/2010 grant=20 programs, and it was an honour to meet some of the developers behind = these great=20 projects. I=92m pleased to report the province has now supported 8,700 = affordable=20 housing units over the past three years and we are 80 per cent of the = way to=20 meeting our 11,000 new affordable housing units by our 2012 goal.

The momentum continues under Budget = 2010 with=20 $188 million being allocated to increase the supply of housing for low- = to=20 moderate-income Albertans and the homeless. This year, all capital = grants will=20 be allocated under one Request for Proposals process, which was released = on July=20 8, 2010. Once again, municipalities, not-for-profit organizations, = management bodies and private developers and contractors are eligible to = apply=20 for this funding. For more information on this program, please visit our = website=20 at http://www.housing.alberta.ca/.

Community partnerships are critical to = the=20 success of this program and I encourage interested parties to speak with = one of=20 the Housing and Urban Affairs staff about the program requirements. = Please=20 call toll-free by dialling 310-0000, then 780-422-0122. By = working=20 together, we can build more units with less money and tailor projects = that meet=20 the unique needs of each community.

Thanks for partnering with Alberta to = help low-=20 to moderate-income Albertans meet their core housing needs and end = homelessness=20 as we know it today. I look forward to reviewing the excellent = submissions I=20 know will come in under this new round of funding.

Thousands of Albertans will benefit from new affordable = housing

A total of a $190 million was shared among 52 successful applicants = who=20 committed to developing close to 2,000 affordable units, under the = province=92s=20 2009/10 Affordable Housing Request for Proposals and the Homelessness = Request=20 for Proposals (RFP). The RFP process garnered some unique and innovative = proposals, which integrated affordability, practicality and = creativity.

The refurbishing of a 100 year-old hotel and the revitalization of = the corner=20 of 109 Street and Jasper Avenue in Edmonton, were among some of the = unique=20 plans. Five Oaks Incorporated, owned by well- known = architect Gene=20 Dub will develop 18 affordable units in Edmonton=92s historic Grand = Hotel. =20 The hotel will be gutted and redone to accommodate 18 bachelor suites to = rent to=20 low-income individuals. The original hotel was built in the early 1900s. =

The corner of 109 street and Jasper Avenue is being revitalized = by ProCura Real Estate Services Ltd. The = privately-owned company=20 is developing 237 affordable rental suites on the corner of 109 Street = and=20 Jasper Avenue in Edmonton, which will be available to individuals and = families=20 by the fall of 2011. The apartment complex is within walking distance to = the LRT=20 system, grocery stores and other amenities. This is one of 19 affordable = housing=20 developments jointly-funded by the provincial and federal governments. =

Support was also provided to Habitat for Humanity for a second year in a row. = Habitat will=20 be building homes in various Alberta communities including Calgary, = Edmonton,=20 Brooks, Camrose, Lethbridge, Olds, Red Deer, Lloydminster and the South = Peace=20 area.

Under the homelessness RFP, Cairn on the Boulevard in Grand Prairie is building = 60=20 affordable rental units in a development that will also include = commercial space=20 for organizations delivering support and services needed to break the = cycle of=20 homelessness: bringing much needed support services right to the = doorstep of the=20 tenants.

Kanas Corporation in Calgary is developing 29 housing unit for = homeless=20 Albertans in a mixed market development which will include, affordable = housing=20 for Albertans of modest means, as well as market units. The Lumino = housing=20 development is close to existing and proposed parks areas, employment = centres,=20 and transit system.

The 2010/2011 Affordable Housing RFP process is now open to the = non-profit=20 and for-profits sectors, as well as municipalities to submit = applications for=20 housing developments for low-income Albertans and homeless = people.

A New Generation of Support

A new post-secondary certificate = program that is=20 designed to enhance the skills of those working in the homelessness = serving=20 sector has just welcomed its first graduating class. The students = celebrated=20 their achievement at a June 25 ceremony at the University of Calgary (U = of C).=20

The Faculty of Social Work=92s = Homeless Service=20 Provider Certificate offers frontline workers, who work with homeless = and=20 unstably housed persons, a comprehensive course in basic skills and = knowledge.=20

The course was offered during U of = C=92s spring=20 2010 session to 37 students from a variety of sectors that interact with = individuals experiencing homelessness, including police and bylaw = officers,=20 social service providers and caseworkers.

It introduces students to the best = practices in=20 serving client needs and managing caseloads, as well as teaching the = skills to=20 effectively communicate and advocate for the client.

The program is based on the underlying = philosophy of=20 Housing First, which puts the highest priority on moving people at risk = of, or=20 experiencing, homelessness into permanent housing with the services and = supports=20 necessary to sustain them. The curriculum was co-developed by = researchers and=20 practitioners with expertise in Calgary=92s homeless serving community. =

Provincial social housing will receive major upgrades over the next = two=20 years

In May, residents of the Francis Klein = Centre, a=20 senior=92s facility, hosted a joint=20 federal/provincial announcement of $90 million, for major upgrades = to=20 provincially owned and supported social housing, including their = residence.

Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State for = Seniors,=20 and Jonathan Denis, Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, announced = matching=20 funds in the amount of $45 million each, at the seniors facility in = Calgary.=20

Funding will be used for improvements = to=20 electrical, plumbing and ventilation systems, as well as replacing = doors,=20 windows and roofs to the province=92s housing portfolio.

To date, close to $45 million in = upgrades have=20 been approved, which includes $20.2 million for Calgary, $20.4 million = for=20 Edmonton, and $4 million for the rest of the province.

The funding is a welcome boost to the = $20 million=20 that the province typically invests each year to maintain its 26,000=20 provincially owned or supported social housing units. Most units are = about 25=20 years old and the upgrades will enhance their life and ensure that = Albertans in=20 need continue to have access to a good standard of safe and affordable = housing.=20

New community welcomed by Fort McMurray

Access to affordable housing is = critical to=20 Alberta's economic future and continued prosperity. On May 25, the = Regional=20 Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) Council approved key documents = related to=20 the province's land development initiative in Parsons Creek, allowing = the=20 project to proceed at top speed.

Parsons Creek is a large Crown land = parcel=20 located at the north end of Fort McMurray. When complete, the area will = be home=20 to 24,000 residents in 8,000 homes. Residential development will be = accompanied=20 by schools, health facilities, and other public amenities necessary to = ensure a=20 strong, vibrant community.

Government is taking a hands-on = approach to bring=20 this land to market. Prior to this latest council vote, Housing and = Urban=20 Affairs met with a variety of stakeholders and local residents to = develop a plan=20 for this new neighbourhood. The overall design plan was vetted through = the=20 Community Development Advisory Board, which is an agency set up to = provide=20 strategic advice to government regarding Parsons Creek.

Dennis Peck, General Manager of = Planning and=20 Development with RMWB, complimented Housing and Urban Affairs on its = community=20 consultation process. "It was consultation not in the sense of simply = putting=20 something on the wall and showing; it was consultation in the sense that = those=20 who were engaged could affect the decision. The design was affected by = those=20 consultation processes."

Parsons Creek will be developed with an = emphasis=20 on creating transit-orientated, walkable neighbourhoods. Also, storm = water=20 runoff collection will be developed into water features that will act as = a=20 community gathering place for water activities in the summer or skating = in the=20 winter.

Councillor Mike Allen commented on the = Parsons=20 Creek design by saying, "It is an absolutely beautiful concept; the = adaptability=20 was really important to me. I particularly like what [was] done with the = water=20 front and=85the main street district."

The current inventory of lots and new=20 construction in Fort McMurray is expected to be sold out in the next = three to=20 four years. Serviced land at Parsons Creek will be available for sale to = developers by 2012. It will then take up to two years for developers to = build=20 homes.

Combining affordable housing with trades training is a formula for = success=20 at Women Building Futures

Affordable housing can have a = profound and=20 positive impact on the lives of lower-income Albertans. Women Building = Futures=20 received $1.7 million from the province to support the development of 42 = affordable housing units, which opened in 2008. This is one story = of how=20 affordable housing can transform an individual=92s life.

Brenda Peterson=92s path to leaving = behind=20 low-paying jobs and gaining a brighter future all started with having a = safe and=20 affordable place to live.

"I wouldn=92t have been able to go to = school if the=20 housing wasn=92t there," said Brenda, a heavy equipment operator and a = former=20 student of Women Building Futures (WBF). "If I had to pay a higher rent = I never=20 would have been able to afford to go to school."

Brenda=92s $600-a-month bachelor = apartment came=20 with her enrollment in a 17-week heavy equipment operator program = through WBF, a=20 training facility focused on training women in non-traditional careers. = In=20 addition to offering women training, employment and mentorship, WBF = offers=20 affordable housing units to its students.

Since graduating from WBF, Brenda, 42, = who was=20 "living pay-cheque-to-pay-cheque" working two jobs as a school bus = driver and a=20 janitor, has doubled her earnings as a heavy equipment operator. She = credits the=20 combination of training and affordable housing with her new successful = career=20 path.

"It was so easy because you got to do = your=20 schooling (while) living in the same building. I did my studying and I = didn=92t=20 have to worry about anything else=85 like how am I going to pay the rent = this=20 month and next month," said Peterson, who also commented that she felt = safe and=20 secure in the apartment complex.

JudyLynn Archer, Chief Executive = Officer and=20 President of WBF, said a lack of access to affordable housing was a big = barrier=20 for women wanting to take WBF training.

To overcome this barrier, WBF purchased = and=20 renovated a warehouse into classrooms and workshops, plus 42 affordable = housing=20 units for lower-income women accepted into their programs. Eighteen of = the units=20 are designated for single mothers with up to four children.

"Having affordable housing with skills = training=20 in the same place is a powerful connection," says Archer. "The housing = allows=20 women to have the safe and affordable living accommodations that they=20 desperately need and at the same time get skill training and the support = they=20 need in order to get a good job =96 so they will never have to use = affordable=20 housing again. For all of us as taxpayers, that=92s a win-win = situation," said=20 Archer.

Archer says that good paying jobs are = also=20 helping women who graduate from WBF training to buy their own homes. =

A Social Return on Investment Analysis = of WBF=20 reported that the average monthly earnings of women who graduate from = the=20 program quadrupled from 1,600 a month to 4,219 a month.

But the gains that women make are not = just about=20 making more money.

"It makes you feel good about = yourself," said=20 Peterson. "I never thought I would be able to do this=85 but I can. = Women who=20 think they can=92t do it and make a better life for themselves=85they = can," said=20 Peterson.

WBF anticipates recruiting and training = 400 women=20 a year by 2015.

City of Grande Prairie engages the community to end = homelessness

As Alberta communities move forward to implement strategies = identified in=20 Alberta=92s plan to end homelessness, they are changing not only how = they approach=20 homelessness, but are collaborating in new ways. In this edition of = Housing=20 Starts Here, the City of Grande Prairie examines how education and=20 discussion can lead to lasting change.

The City of Grande Prairie and the Community Advisory Board on = Homelessness=20 (CABH) took to the streets to spread the Housing First message. The = group=20 encouraged a variety of people to attend networking opportunities so = they could=20 share information and future plans.

Property developers, landlords, police and agencies who provide = support to=20 the homeless came together in what was billed as a Community Engagement=20 Extravaganza.

"Information leads to understanding," says Jaime Rogers, Community = Housing=20 Supervisor. "We wanted to bring people together to discuss their = preconceptions=20 and to gather as much new information as possible so in the future our = progress=20 in ending homelessness will continue."

Landlords were informed about Housing First from expert Iain DeJong, = famous=20 for his work on Toronto=92s Streets to Homes program. Landlords were one = of the=20 target groups as they are a very powerful ally in addressing = homelessness.=20 Organizers felt it was vital that they were given the opportunity to = learn about=20 the supports that are in place when a formerly homeless individual is = housed=20 under the Housing First approach.

The ability to access income support and government issued = identification can=20 make a big difference in keeping someone from being homeless. = Accordingly,=20 provincial government representatives from Employment and Immigration = and=20 Seniors and Community Supports are learning how their services can be = optimized=20 for this population.

Other groups that met with agency representatives were the RCMP, = Crime=20 Prevention and Enforcement services, and members of the Downtown = Association.=20 Meeting with these members of the community allowed for the opportunity = to ask=20 questions about the Housing First program and learn ways in which they = could=20 support the initiative.

Organizers also launched the "End Homelessness. For Good." public = awareness=20 campaign to raise the profile of homelessness in Grande Prairie. Part of = this=20 campaign included window stickers for vehicles or office windows that = symbolize=20 a commitment to ending homelessness in Grande Prairie.

The City of Grande Prairie and CABH are pleased about initial = outcomes from=20 the community engagement session. "We=92ve seen an increased = understanding of the=20 Housing First program and its benefits for our community," says Rogers. = "Ending=20 homelessness requires collaboration at many levels, and we feel that = with our=20 Community Engagement Extravaganza, we=92ve taken a step in that=20 direction."

The importance of Housing First