Affordable Housing
The panel is exploring ways to make Alberta’s affordable housing system more efficient and effective. The Affordable Housing Review Panel was appointed to review Alberta’s affordable housing system. This review will explore ways we can make affordable housing even more affordable and accessible for people with low income. Nearly 500,000 Albertans spend more than 30% of their household income on housing, which is unaffordable according to the standard for affordability.
CMHA Edmonton is committed to building a healthy and resilient community by providing mental health services, education resources, crisis intervention, and housing services to people living with mental illness and/or low income. CMHA Edmonton manages 146 units in 7 apartment buildings we own or manage. In 2019, we had 152 tenants.
We are a designated Housing Management Body under the Government of Alberta. We operate under two different funding models:
• Subsidized housing (with direct to landlord rent supplements)
• Affordable housing (rent set by landlord at 10-20% below the market rent set by CMHC for that neighbourhood).
Tenants in our buildings are both living on a low or fixed income and with the effects of serious mental illness. These two models have proven to be successful in supporting them, with more than half of tenants having a long-term tenancy of over 10 years. Additionally, all of our properties are registered as Crime Free Buildings by the Edmonton Police Service.
To read the full document click here