The Yorkton Housing Corporation and its government partners unveiled details on a new seniors' housing project at a sod-turning ceremony last week.
Allan Bay Manor, located at 25 Allan Bay off of Allanbrooke Drive, will be a 22-unit senior housing complex due to open in January of 2012. The single-storey complex will rent one-bedroom apartments exclusively to seniors over the age of 60 with a total gross income of below $44,500 per year. Rent for each unit will be set at $577 per month including heat, power, and water.
Mayor James Wilson said he foresees the new building-"the first step of hopefully many" to address the city's housing shortage-to "pay a dividend" for residents of the city in the years to come.
"This does more than just create 22 units for seniors. As people move into these 22 units, it creates availability of additional housing. It creates an opportunity for families within our community and for families moving into our community."
Seventy percent of funding for the $3.5 million project comes from the federal and provincial governments ($1.5 million federal, $0.9 million provincial) while the remaining 30 percent is being provided by the Yorkton Housing Corporation, a rental agency owned by the City of Yorkton.
The new complex will mean a 20 percent increase in units managed by the Yorkton Housing Corporation, which currently handles 110 rental properties in the city. City councillor and YHC chair Les Arnelien said he expects Allan Bay Manor to go a long way towards reducing the corporation's 57-spot waiting list.
Allan Bay Manor was designed by Kreate Architecture and Design of Regina and is being built by local contractor Logan Stevens Construction.
Applications for the new rental units are available now from the Yorkton Housing Corporation office on Jubilee Crescent.
