City council won’t vote on a funding request from the St. Albert Housing Society until all members are at the table.
St. Albert Housing Society has asked the city for $2.3 million through its affordable housing program to purchase land in North Ridge for a 96-unit affordable housing development.
Executive director Doris Vandersteen said the society has already negotiated a potential deal for the 1.3 hectares needed for the development, which would be built in two phases of 48 units apiece. Without the land, Vandersteen said the project would not stand a chance when bidding for additional provincial grant funding.
“We need the land for this project,” she said. “Our deal with the developer is about to expire … without the land we won’t get the [request for proposal].”
According to a report from city administration, supporting the full cost of the project would drain most of the city’s remaining affordable housing cash. That would leave little for other initiatives like the next phase of expansion to Sturgeon Foundation’s North Ridge Lodge. As a result, administration recommended the city only purchase enough land to complete the first phase of the housing society’s project.
Sturgeon ‘shovel ready’
Sturgeon Foundation also requested $775,000 from the city for its own bid for provincial dollars. The expansion would provide housing for people on disability pensions and others in need of affordable housing.
“We are shovel ready. We believe if the province gives us the money, we could get started right away,” said foundation executive director Marguerite Bosvik.
According to city manger Bill Holtby, funding both requests would not be possible, and would force council to find an additional $300,000 for the two projects. He added both requests are reliant on funding from the province’s affordable housing program, something that is not guaranteed.
Sturgeon Foundation and St. Albert Housing Society both applied for and were denied provincial funding last year.
“There is some risk that if the [housing society] project doesn’t proceed, you’re stuck with that land,” Holtby said. “That gives me some hesitancy about how far we stick our necks out.”
Holtby added that if the city was to follow through with the housing society’s request, they would have to approach the province to get permission to change the current affordable housing plan.
A major decision
Councillor Roger Lemieux, who joined the meeting via teleconference from outside the country, suggested purchasing all of the land needed for the housing society and not just for the first phase. Lemieux, who is council’s representative on the society, said he doesn’t want to see the project snuffed out.
“Without speaking to the developer, we don’t know if we can split the land,” he said. “The city still remains in ownership of that land and even if there isn’t another affordable building space built on that, then the city can build on that.”
However, Coun. Carol Watamaniuk suggested delaying a verdict until all members of council are at the table, noting the absence of Mayor Nolan Crouse and Coun. James Burrows.
Council will review the funding request again on March 16.
