Lethbridge Housing Authority receives council support to seek provincial funding for singles housing
LETHBRIDGE – Lethbridge Housing Authority is hoping to secure provincial dollars to create housing for single people between the ages of 18 and 49 who have no dependents and are on fixed incomes like AISH, CPP Disability or Income Support.
At Monday’s meeting LHA CAO Robin James made a presentation to City Council, asking for support from the city – specifically, a letter from Mayor Chris Spearman, as they submit their business plan to the province, with a specific request for building social housing for singles.
“We’re looking at repurposing one of our high-rises. And then if we have permission to do that, we would of course look at building something to house the seniors that are in it first, and then repurpose that building and make that into a solely 18-49-year-old social housing units.”
James says they’ve noticed the gap for singles for some time, but LHA is now at the point where it’s using so many resources in their rent supplement program, they need to make sure they can help as many people as they can. To do that, they need to have social housing available for people or couples who have no family or children. That, she says, would free up some of their rent supplement to assist other clients in need or on a wait list.