Calgary targets affordable living barriers with $13.7M in funding

The City of Calgary is allocating $13.7 million to break down barriers to affordable housing, as Mayor Jyoti Gondek made a string of announcements Thursday.

“This basic needs support is something that Calgarians need now more than ever,” said Karen Young, president of United Way Calgary and Area (UWCA).

Across three initiatives, including UWCA, and the Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF), the funding totals $14.1 million.

“We’re all in to do what we can,” said Gondek.

Included in the announcement is a six-million-dollar grant program for Indigenous housing projects. The city says it will help to address the over-representation of Indigenous Calgarians who are unhoused or living on low income.

“There will be an announcement about what this looks like next month, and then the program itself will launch in June. So, stay tuned, you’ll have more details around exactly how this is going to work. And it’s really a first step in our commitment towards truth and reconciliation and action.” Gondek said.

Three new parcels of city land will also be made available to non-profit affordable housing providers to create as many as 100 homes. Coinciding with the land is a one-time grant program that will provide funding for non-profit housing developers.

“What we will do is look for applicants to explain what their project looks like. How many units they think they could deliver? What we have committed is $7.5 million, which is up to 75,000 per unit,” Gondek said.

The city also revealed a collaborative fund with the CHF and UWC. Each will contribute $200,000 towards a new rental program which will provide first and last month’s rent to Calgarians who need financial help.

“When we talked to folks who were experiencing homelessness, about 38 per cent said the reason they don’t have a house is because they didn’t have enough income. The biggest barrier for some folks is first and last month’s rent,” said Patricia Jones, president of CHF.