Transportation and Works
June 17, 2010
The following statement was given
today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister
of Transportation and Works and Minister Responsible for Newfoundland
Labrador Housing:
Housing Pilot Project
Addresses Increased Demand for Smaller Homes
As Minister Responsible for Newfoundland
Labrador Housing, I rise in this Honourable House today to advise
members and the public of very positive news in the area of social
housing. I have the pleasure of announcing today a new and progressive
pilot project to better meet the increased demand for smaller social
housing units, a trend we are seeing throughout the province.
This pilot project is being made possible
through a $1 million research and development investment by the
Provincial Government to assess and identify potential solutions for
social housing needs.
At present, 86 per cent of applicants for
housing are in need of one and two-bedroom homes. However, Newfoundland
Labrador Housing's portfolio, originally designed to meet the
demographic needs of the 1960s and 1970s, consists primarily of three,
four and five-bedroom units. The current reality is that our homes are
no longer suitable for the majority of applicants on our waiting list.
Pine Martin Adventures Inc. of Corner
Brook has been awarded a $300,000 contract to reconfigure two
three-bedroom units on Wheeler's Road into three smaller homes this
summer. The reconfiguration will include one fully-accessible two
bedroom apartment on the main floor and two one-bedroom apartments on
the upper level. A second reconfiguration project in St. John's expected
to be awarded later this summer
The focus of reconfiguration is to be
able to use existing housing more effectively to address changing
demographic needs. We see this pilot project as an opportunity to
evaluate the future economic feasibility of such projects. Such projects
also move our social housing portfolio into position to meet the needs
of future generations. I cannot express how thankful we are that the
cities of Corner Brook and St. John's are supporting reconfiguration as
they too plan for the future housing needs of their citizens.
This reconfiguration work is also in
keeping with the goals of the Provincial Government's Social Housing
Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador — Secure Foundations, which
outlines a new long-term vision for social housing aimed at improving
the housing circumstances of lower-income households and helping to
create healthier communities.
As this project indicates, our government
is very open to exploring new options that will further assist us in
addressing the need for affordable housing throughout our province.
2010 06 17
1:45 p.m.
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