I just read Cory Hare's ‘Communication a red flag — mayor,' in the Nov. 3 Gazette and I question the suggestion that the new Rosedale seniors' complex is affordable.
Rosedale Developments rents one-bedroom suites for $2,095 to $2,145 per month while two-bedroom suites are $2,545-$2,595 per month. The rent includes one meal (supper) per day and weekly housekeeping.
The fact that only "out of St. Albert" residents applied to live there may or may not have anything to do with the cost of these apartments.
Chateau Mission Court rents are based on 30 per cent of the residents' income to a maximum income of $35,000 and a maximum rent of $956. It's true that Chateau Mission Court has a waiting list of 10 people for "lodges" but the waiting list for apartments is 67 people. The definition of a lodge is that it includes all meals.
According to CMHC's 2009 Fall Rent survey, St. Albert's vacancy rate was 2.3 per cent. That suggests to me that there are more apartments for rent in this city than we have traditionally had. For many years St. Albert's rental vacancy rate hovered near zero, meaning there was nothing to rent. CMHC's next report will come out Dec. 9 and it will be interesting to read the latest stats to see how this city's vacancy rate compares to that of other communities.
I think the definition of 'affordable housing' is too broad because it does not define who the housing is for and the phrase does not define what kind of housing is needed. Which people need housing most: seniors, young families or, perhaps, young singles who still live with their parents? Does the term affordable housing take into consideration that the St. Albert Food Bank helped 23 homeless people in recent months and estimates the number of warm-weather homeless in this city is perhaps twice that? I wonder where those folks fit into our 'affordable housing' scheme. Where will they live this winter?
If only 10 people applied to live in the Habitat for Humanity homes in North Ridge, I'd like to know how those folks found out about the project. Before the North Ridge Habitat for Humanity homes were built, was there sufficient information and advertising to allow lots of people to apply to live there? What barriers prevented people from applying? Was the application process open to St. Albert residents?
We need clarification about who needs affordable housing in St. Albert and just what is available in the way of rentable apartments and basement suites. Perhaps we need a survey that shows how many seniors live with their children and how many adult kids live with their parents? How many single-parent families in this community need better housing? Would they move here if the housing was available?
Susan Jones, St. Albert
