Affordable homes

The need for affordable housing in Gander will be lessened in the coming months once 13 homes are made available for people anxiously awaiting to find a new living space.

Representatives of the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC) met with the Town's economic and social development committee last month. At the meeting, they confirmed NLHC had acquired 13 Department of National Defence surplus housing units.

Dennis Kendell, executive director of regional operations for NLHC, said the homes will be made available to their new occupants within eight months from the date NLCH acquire them. The federal government transferred ownership of the home to the house corporation in March, he said.

The 13 units are located on Bowes Street, Edinburgh Avenue, Brochen Street, Earhart Street, and Elizabeth Drive. Their combined market value is $1.2 million.

It's not the first time NLHC has made use of military homes no longer housing Canadian Forces personnel. Mr. Kendell said NLHC has acquired 11 units over a span of several years.

He said the new homes will help shorten the waitlist for affordable housing units in Gander.

"We have a waitlist in Gander, like we do across the whole province for low-income housing. The waitlist in Gander is not huge, but it's enough that these 13 homes will help a lot."

Repairs to the 13 homes will vary, as some have been vacant for a number of years. Some homes may simply require cosmetic work, Mr. Kendell said, including upgrades for flooring, walls, and doors, with at least one requiring shingle work.

"We will require some renovations, obviously, but not huge renovations," he said, adding heat has been running in most of the homes.

Demand for one and two-bedroom housing units are most prevalent, said Mr. Kendell.

"That's purely the demographics of today. Families are not as big as they used to be. One and two-bedroom homes have the biggest demand, and I don't think that's any different in Gander than anywhere across the province."

NLHC provides a heating subsidy for people residing in their units, which works out to approximately half of a unit's cost over a year.

Yvonne Gillingham, of the Gander Status of Women Council, has advocated for more affordable housing option on numerous ocassions, most recently during a pre-budget consultation meeting in February with Finance Minister Tom Marshall.

"The need is here in Gander, and it takes away from some of the problems," she said.

However, Ms. Gillingham said a need for affordable housing remains for those who do not qualify for NLHC's waiting list.

Gander MHA Kevin O'Brien, also the Minister of Government Services, said the affordable housing units will be a big help to his district.

"We need every unit we can possibly get our hands on for the simple reason there's great demand in Gander," he said. "We're very lucky to have these DND housing units."

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