Unique housing project proposed

SIGN and Sask Abilities are looking to partner on a project for the city which would meet some of the need for low income housing in the city.

Andrew Sedley, executive director with SIGN, said in his time with the organization it became quickly apparent there was a need for some subsidized rental units in the city for low income earners. He related the current single Unemployable Shelter Allowance is $358, with the Disability Housing Supplement of $185 per month.

Sedley, speaking at a Saskatchewan Association of Social Workers luncheon last Wednesday, added when the Shelter Allowance has been raised by the province "it seems landlords put rents up the exact same amount so the clients are no better off."

The new project would address some of that, said Sedley. He detailed the proposal calls for 30 units, 20 units for those with long term mental illness, cognitive disabilities and other disabilities.

One unit would be for respite care, and nine would be market rentals.

Accessibility would be a key aspect of the facility, with elevators, and wider doors for wheelchairs.

There would be a green element with the roof a community garden/green space, said Sedley.

The main floor would allow for "partnering with business" with space for business rentals which would subsidize the housing rental units above.

The project is planned for the downtown area.

"We want it close to services," said Sedley.

The next step for the project, estimated to cost more than $5 million to construct, will be a feasibility study, said Sedley. He said CHMC offers up to $10,000 for such a study to determine "if this is something that is financially viable for two non-profits."

The study would help determine "how we move forward with this."

In terms of funding, the province has developed a Six Million Dollar Summit Action Fund to facilitate innovation in the housing sector which encourages private and public partnership, said Sedley.

While the provincial dollars can be a help, there will need to be a local investment for the project to go forward.

"We need at least $1 million in capital," he said, adding that will mean working with business and other groups. " To make something really creative like this work We really need partnerships."

Creating such partnerships to move the project forward could be a step to the ongoing issue of affordable housing for lower income people in the city, a problem which has been around for years said Tom Seeley, co-chair of the Yorkton Housing Committee (YHC), which was created in February 2012 by the City.

Seeley said there is obviously a need to stay on top of this issue, noting population growth for risen 13 per cent in the past year.

To get a better handle on local housing the City had Faisal Anwar, Economic Development Officer undertake a Housing Needs Assessment.

The Assessment quickly identified a need, said Sedley, noting as of the time of the survey, the three housing authorities in Yorkton had a total of over 250 on their waiting lists, including lower income families and singles.

Affordability is also a key issue.

Households having to pay more than 30 per cent before tax income for housing is an issue.

The study identified 1,370 single, including 700 singles under the age of 35 cannot afford an average rent of a bachelor suite, and 170 couple families and 190 lone parent families cannot afford a one bedroom suite.

Seeley added the data is now a year old.

"I would guess it might be worse today, rather than better," he offered. " Obviously we have a big gap in housing. We have a lot of work to do."

Part of that work will be the YHC submitting a Community Housing Plan to Yorkton Council. The plan will include a set of goals, with strategies to achieve the goals to minimize identified housing gaps in the City of Yorkton, said Seeley.

"We're a month, or less, from submitting that to City Council," he said.