10 affordable housing units opening for mental health clients in Alberton
New affordable housing units run by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) are nearly ready to welcome residents in Alberton.
The modular housing project includes ten apartments in total — two of them accessible. The units are for clients using the association's mental health and addiction services.
"It's very important," said Shelley Muzika, executive director of the P.E.I. division of CMHA.
"Once people have some stability, then they can start working on the other things that they need to address in their life, and work toward recovery."
Muzika said there is a demand for services like this in West Prince. She said CMHA already operates six units in the area. But there are roughly 20 people on the waitlist.
"Some people are trying to move out of [their] home ... there's some people who are inappropriately housed — maybe in community care. There's people who are just homeless," she said.
"And there's just people who need that independence."
'There's a need here'
On Wednesday afternoon, people gathered for the official ribbon cutting and a tour of some of the rooms.
Similar to the modular apartments in Charlottetown, this building came together quickly. Muzika said it cost about $3 million in total, with the province providing $2 million and a $1.4 million annual operating grant over the next ten years.
'The feedback that I have received has been very positive,' says Ernie Hudson, the MLA for Alberton and Bloomfield. 'There is a need.' (Sheehan Desjardins/CBC News)
"Certainly, there's a need here in Alberton," said P.E.I.'s Minister of Transportation Ernie Hudson, who is also the MLA for Alberton and Bloomfield.
"It was important to work with our partners at CMHA to get this structure up as rapidly as possible."
First tenants in by the new year
The units still need some finishing touches, such as adding railings to the stairs and along the second floor. The goal is to have the first tenants moving in by the new year.
"We've already kind of gone through that list and have notified the first three tenants that they are going to be the successful people who will be coming in here," said Muzika.
"They're beyond excited."
'There's always people looking for housing,' says Shelley Muzika, CMHA P.E.I.’s Executive Director. 'It will make a real dent in that waitlist.' (Sheehan Desjardins/CBC News)
As for Hudson, he said he would like to see more of these projects in the future.
"I would say that they will be filled pretty well immediately, as soon as [they're] ready for occupancy, which will be very shortly," he said.
Muzika said more people will be notified once they have a clearer timeline for when their unit will be ready. She hopes everyone will be moved in by early April.
