Affordable housing project coming to Red Deer County thanks to provincial-federal partnership

The $1.9 million HeARTh project will be at a local but yet to be disclosed to the public location, other than that it is in Red Deer County.

Speaking with rdnewsNOW, Deborah Gregson, executive director, says the building has 75 units. Once the transition is complete, there will be 40 affordable units, including 30 low-cost and 10 median cost. The remainder will still be operated as hotel rooms.

“The folks this will help will be those who are underemployed, in recovery and who are trying to get their lives back. Everyone will be well-vetted,” says Gregson, who founded the organization that’s done most of its work to date in Grande Prairie, in 2015.

“Our intention is not to house people actively using drugs, but who are moving forward in their recovery, and would even like to have employment attached to where they live.”

Gregson says money made from the site will be put into other new affordable housing projects in the area and around Alberta.

It will also be renamed DMG Inn and Suites, for their non-profit sister organization Do More Good Social Benefit Housing and Community Development Corporation.

Gregson says the project they manage in Grande Prairie, Fletcher House, has taught them a lot of lessons about how to run this type of project.

“Every single individual in a community matters. We need to make spaces and places for them, and when people are trying to move away from crisis, as a community, we should be standing there to help them,” she says.

“People become homeless or underhoused for a variety of reasons. It’s not because they’re hopeless. We’re trying to provide a facility that can assist those who are ready to move forward into a better way of living.”

Meantime, the federal government says this collaboration demonstrates well what governments and local groups can do together when they put their minds to it.

“Hundreds of Albertans seeking refuge will benefit from these projects, providing them with a safe, affordable home and a better quality of life,” said MP Randy Boissonnault, federal minister of employment, workforce, development and official languages, at the announcement.

In all, the $66 million will fund 335 new affordable housing units and 129 shelter beds across Alberta. This investment is cost-matched by both governments thanks to the Canada – Alberta Bilateral Agreement under the National Housing Strategy.

“We are constantly working to increase our affordable housing supply and provide facilities that meet community needs,” says MLA Jason Nixon, Alberta’s minister of seniors, community, and social services. “We will continue to work to identify and support projects that ensure those in need have somewhere to turn and safe, affordable places to live.”

More about the Affordable Housing Partnership Program is at alberta.ca.

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by Josh Hall | @Vancan19

Affordable housing project coming to Red Deer County thanks to provincial-federal partnership

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