Funding for Non-Profit Housing

Providing adequate and safe housing requires the support of many hands. Once again the province will provide $163,000 in funding to the Metro Non-Profit Housing Association, Housing and Municipal Affairs Wayne Gaudet announced today. This annual support is part of a 35-year agreement that began in 1990.

"This subsidy from Housing and Municipal Affairs has allowed our organization to provide safe, affordable housing to 44 low-income single individuals with previous housing problems," said Carol Charlebois of the Metro Non-Profit Housing Association. "We still struggle to fund the supportive aspects so necessary to this type of housing."

The association provides a safe and supportive environment for low-income individuals. It sponsors special projects for tenants and operates a housing support centre on Gerrish Street, Halifax. Since 1990, the association has received $1.4 million in subsidies, mortgage insurance, and more than $70,000 in housing repair assistance from the department. The association sponsors housing projects such as Dartmouth's Stewart Place for single men and Amethyst Apartments for single women, and two smaller buildings in Halifax.

The minister also noted the growing concern about the health and safety standards in the region's rooming-houses. "I support improving rooming-house conditions whether it be through our proposed municipal government act or a separate piece of legislation dealing solely with rooming-houses," said Mr. Gaudet.

Most of the rooming-houses in this province are in the Halifax Regional Municipality. Tenants frequently rely on social assistance programs for their incomes. Selection of housing is the responsibility of the tenant.

The proposed municipal government act would give municipalities the power to introduce bylaws to regulate and license ownership and operation of rooming-houses.