Leinster Court 'a beacon' for non-profit housing projects
Nearly 10 years after a controversial mixed-income apartment building was built in Saint John's city core, the Leinster Court model is being touted as a "shining beacon" for non-profit housing projects across Canada.
The new federal housing strategy includes a shift from traditional social housing models to mixed-income developments.
Leinster Court, a project of Saint John Non-Profit Housing, is a working example of that.
Built in 2008, the development on 53-91 Leinster St. created a stir when it was first announced.
It features 52 units, with half of the tenants paying market rents, and the rest subsidized.
'A lot of concerns'
It was a relatively new type of project for the area at the time, said Lisa Keenan, president of Saint John Non-Profit Housing.
"People were concerned it would take the value of their homes down, they were concerned by the fact that they thought their views were going to be obstructed, that easements and rights of passage would be taken away from people," Keenan told Information Morning Saint John.
"There were a lot of concerns, and rightfully so. You have to look at the neighbourhood when building a project, and take in opinions from various sources. Obviously, there were opposing voices, and we took that into consideration."
'Equal opportunity'
These days, Keenan says the project is known as "a beacon for non-profit housing," with architects from around Atlantic Canada visiting to learn about the design.
"It helps people in the long run, as far as mixed income is concerned … people go to school [nearby], they can go to shops, they have an equal opportunity to be involved in the community and it reflects well upon Saint John, " she said.
"It gives them a leg up, and they can aspire to bigger things and take into consideration the neighbourhood they're in — it provides equality for people, and I think that's fundamental to non-profit housing."
A decade later, there is even a wait-list to get into the non-subsidized rentals, said Keenan.
"It's been a project that we had few vacancies over the years, and people have a desire to get into that building."
$40B in spending across country
The new national housing strategy promises $40 billion in spending over the next 10 years.
It pledges to tackle everything from homelessness, the shortage of new housing units and repairs to existing units over the next decade, including:
- Building 100,000 new affordable housing units.
- Repairing 300,000 affordable housing units.
- Cutting chronic homelessness by 50 per cent.
- Protecting 385,000 households from losing an affordable home.
- Providing 300,000 households with financial assistance through the Canada Housing Benefit.
- Removing 530,000 households from housing need.
Most of the funding for the plan was already announced in the 2017 budget and will therefore not have any impact on the federal government's fiscal plan.
The exception is the $4 billion Canada Housing Benefit, which the federal government says will help families by providing an average rent subsidy of $2,500 annually beginning in April 2020 and concluding in 2028.
Half of the $4 billion that will be spent by 2028 will come from the provinces and territories, with the other half coming from the federal government. The government says the benefit will help support 300,000 households by 2028.
Stay in their neighbourhoods
Alaina Lockhart, MP for Fundy Royal, said specifics for New Brunswick should become clearer over the coming weeks and months as the federal government hashes out agreements for each province.
"Each province, each region will have different needs. The needs in urban areas like Saint John look different than in rural areas," Lockhart said.
"We want to make sure new units are built in areas close to services, like doctors, stores, and develop communities where people can transition from affordable housing as a younger working family, to staying there are a senior.
"We know one of the biggest barriers for seniors moving from their existing home is they want to stay in their neighbourhood. … We know people are more successful when they can stay near services and near the network of people that support them."
Recent census data showed 1.7 million Canadian are struggling to keep themselves in housing that's substandard, or don't meet their needs.
Back in Saint John, the non-profit housing group is looking to upgrade the current rentals it has on Leinster Court.
It's also planning another mixed-income apartment complex on the site of the former Jelly Bean Houses on Wellington Row in the uptown.
"It won't be a parking lot, it's going to be another beacon," Keenan said.
"We'll look at it as being a jewel in a crown like Leinster Court is, and the project will be a very strong and good project.
"And hopefully, like Leinster Court, we'll have non-profit groups coming in from around the country saying, 'We want our projects to be like that.'"
