Red Deer city council approves interim recommendation for affordable and permanent supportive housing

In November 2022, the CMHC launched the third round of the RHI funding, with a March 15, 2023 deadline. A total of $1 billion was allotted to facilitate the rapid construction of new housing and the acquisition of existing buildings for the purpose of rehabilitation or conversion to permanent affordable housing units. The City says that while multiple local community applications were submitted in the first two rounds of funding, as well as by other mid-sized cities in the country, they were not successful and the majority of funds were awarded to larger cities like Edmonton and Calgary.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

In December 2022, the Government of Alberta announced the program with $55 million over the next three years to support housing development projects that have an affordable, social housing or specialized housing component. Applications were accepted until January 11, 2023 and the City says they believe additional funding rounds may be made available as early as the spring.

THE CITY

The City says while they provide timely support with relevant zoning and permitting processes, permits and applications were completed on a first-come, first-served basis. They believe prioritizing processes specific to permanent supportive and affordable housing ahead of other applications might increase the likelihood of meeting timelines for the CMHC and Government of Alberta funding programs.

“CMHC receives applications from across the country and has identified permitting as a major barrier in many municipalities. This decision confirms The City’s commitment to affordable and supportive housing options for residents and is a positive step towards reaching our goal that safe, accessible, and affordable housing is available to all and everyone is appropriately housed,” said Ryan Veldkamp, Safe & Healthy Communities Supervisor for the City.

Last year, the Committee says they conducted an environmental scan of government enabling approaches and completed a What We Heard report following community engagement with stakeholders, discussing topics of funding stability, education initiatives, support services, multisector collaboration, and more.

This year, they say they plan on completing their final report of recommendations for council regarding long-term government enablers for housing asset development in Red Deer with the help of an external consultant.

The City’s administration says they also support the following HHIC’s recommendations:

Providing dedicated staff for application support and a multi-department team to review applications
Sharing relevant data for applications and facilitating a lived experience knowledge transfer
Providing letters of support outlining community need and describing available City supports

The City says the majority of individuals awaiting permanent housing placement are those with highly complex needs, including addictions and mental health challenges. While the City’s Community Housing and Homelessness Integration Plan (CHHIP) identified a target of 139 spaces, the number of permanent supportive housing spaces currently available in Red Deer is 62, run by the Canadian Mental Health Association at their Amethyst House and Pathways to Housing, leaving a need of 77. Veldkamp says most permanent supportive housing is run by non-profit organizations.

The CHHIP also identified the need for 1,300 affordable rental (deep subsidy) units to help prevent individuals from returning to homelessness and to combat the current high rental rates.

Potential applicants are being encouraged to email their intent to housing@reddeer.ca.

More information on housing and homelessness efforts can be found on the City’s website.

by Alessia Proietti

Red Deer city council approves interim recommendation for affordable and permanent supportive housing

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