Source: Municipal Affairs and Housing

More housing options for seniors and people with disabilities coming to Windsor with 137 affordable housing units, 105 of them, townhomes.

The province will provide 3.3 hectares of land the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia to build homes on Tremain Crescent.

“Nova Scotians need housing and this project will create more than 100 new homes for the people of West Hants,” said John Lohr, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “This is a prime example of how government, community groups and the private sector are working together to increase housing supply, support growth and create vibrant, healthy communities. We look forward to more proposals coming forward through the land for housing program.”

About 30% will have affordable rent ranging from $750 to $1225, with a mixture of one-to-four bedroom units with net-zero design elements for energy efficiency.

Phase 1 of the project would see 42 units constructed, including 34 townhouses and two modulars with eight accessible units. Pre-development planning and design work is now underway, with the aim to have the first units ready in 24 to 36 months.

“The long-term solution to the housing crisis is more affordable housing. One of the most difficult challenges with creating meaningful, forever affordable housing in Nova Scotia is access to quality sites for development. AHANS is thankful the Province has selected us to be stewards of such a strategic, well-located opportunity in Windsor. This site is the first critical piece in our work of bringing an environmentally and financially sustainable affordable housing community to this growing region of Nova Scotia.”
– Michael Kabalen, Executive Director, Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia

Some facts:

— the Province has agreed to transfer the property to the affordable housing association for a nominal fee, providing that the land be used for housing and that about 30 per cent of units are affordable
— the Province identified 37 sites from the provincial land inventory that could be used to build housing; 25 property opportunity notices have been released, with 20 proposals received to date
— this is the second proposal approved under the Land for Housing program – the Dartmouth Non-Profit Housing Society was the successful proponent behind a proposed 18-unit project at 1 Circassion Dr. in Dartmouth, which is due to start construction this fall
— an estimated 4,000 new homes could be built through the program

More information on the Land for Housing Program Initiative and links to property opportunity notices are available at: https://housing.novascotia.ca/programs/land-for-housing