Notley: families in peril as rent subsidy ends
October 20, 2011
Rachel Notley, NDP MLA for Edmonton-Strathcona, is calling on the PC government to commit funding to continue a rent subsidy program that will affect more than 1,300 families across Alberta when it ends soon.
“In the past three years, provincial commitment to keeping people out of homelessness by providing rent subsidies has fallen by more than 50 percent. Over that time rents in Edmonton have continued to increase and the supply of rental units for people with little money has continued to decline.
“As we move into winter it is heartless of the PC government to stand by in the warmth and let this program die. People will be in danger of falling into homelessness or having to move to housing where health and safety issues will be greater unless something is done soon.”
Notley was joined by Sherry Reynolds , who currently receives the subsidy. Reynolds said, “I was frightened when I found out I may not have a home. The future doesn’t look good if I can’t have a roof over my head. I am 61 years old and that scares me at my age, with a disability. There are three or four other people in my building affected and not everyone is able to speak for themselves. If I lose $360 per month I will have to decide between groceries or a roof over my head.”
The program involved is delivered by Capital Region Housing Corporation (CRHC). Both CRHC and the City of Edmonton have been asking for continued funding for months with no response from the PC government. The end of the program will cut the total 2665 current rent supplements to less than 1900, a reduction of nearly 30 percent. A parallel program funded in Calgary will eliminate 550 supplements there.
“The City of Edmonton’s own reports show that Edmonton needs at least 40,000 more affordable homes to meet current demand. I don’t hold out much hope these 700 families will be successful at finding adequate and safe housing. Subsidies are a simple way to avoid much greater costs if people are permitted to fall into homelessness,” says Notley.
In the past three years, the PC government has reduced its investment in rent subsidies from $159 million to the current year’s $75.3 million.