River Bend affordable housing project opens
Phase 2 of the River Bend affordable housing development in Whistle Bend opened Tuesday.
Phase 2 of the River Bend affordable housing development in Whistle Bend opened Tuesday.
The announcement was made by the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council (TKC), Da Daghay Development Corp. (DDDC), along with the Yukon government and the City of Whitehorse.
The second phase of the development consists of two buildings that will provide an additional 28 homes for Yukoners.
The government supported the project through a $500,000 capital grant under the Municipal Matching Rental Construction Program.
Homes will be available to Ta’an Kwäch’än citizens and Yukon Housing Corp. (YHC) clients.
The announcement said the project is another example of partnerships among governments to support the development of healthy and safe housing options in the Yukon.
“The River Bend affordable housing development project is a testament to the power and value of collaboration with our community partners, as it is creating a real impact for Yukoners by providing affordable housing options that meets the needs of people,” said Ranj Pillai, the minister responsible for the YHC.
“We are pleased to announce the opening of Phase 2 of the River Bend affordable housing development project that is a continuation of the partnership between the Government of Yukon, Da Daghay Development Corporation and the City of Whitehorse to provide affordable housing options to Yukoners.”
The government is providing rent supplements for 20 homes in Phase 2 to house families and individuals from the community housing waitlist.
Rent for YHC clients in the River Bend development will be based on a Rent-Geared-to-Income program, whereby tenants are charged 25 per cent of their total gross annual household combined income.
The government provides support for Yukoners looking to gain and maintain affordable housing under its Rent-Geared-to-Income program.
The Municipal Matching Rental Construction Grant is a capital grant that supports the development of new rental housing in the Yukon.
Housing developers can apply for municipal incentives (where offered) and funding through this program. The YHC matches the municipal development incentive.
The city contributed to the project through a development incentive.
“The city is excited to see more rental units made available in Whistle Bend – the city’s fastest-growing neighbourhood,” said Mayor Dan Curtis.
“We have been proud to contribute to the River Bend project through development incentives, and to work with the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council and its development corporation.
“We will continue to work with the territorial government and First Nation partners to help people attain housing across the housing continuum,” Curtis added.
The new buildings will be super-green, high-efficiency structures surrounded by forest and an abundance of greenspace. Each building will contain 14 homes ranging from one to three bedrooms.
The Phases 1 and 2 River Bend development to date consists of 70 homes.
Da Daghay Development Corp. opened the first of three buildings in Phase 1 in November 2017. The third building of Phase 1 opened in March 2018.
Comments (3)
Up 5 Down 0
Anie on Sep 16, 2021 at 1:49 pm
The good news is that they didn't plink these downtown, which means people who need this housing can retain some dignity. I think, though, that in the comments we are sometimes confusing "affordable housing" with home ownership. Everyone should have access to affordable housing, but nobody is owed an investment in home ownership. Plenty of people have lived their entire lives as renters, and they did just fine. Now we whine if our grown children don't own a house. But I don't think any of us are willing to see the value of our own homes drastically cut by government market manipulation
Up 14 Down 5
Salt on Sep 15, 2021 at 9:37 pm
So “affordable housing” is now synonymous with “government subsidized”? Way to keep the problem in place, while trying to hide it under a pile of taxpayers money. There is not a single party willing to actually bring house prices down to affordable levels.
Up 11 Down 1
Waldo on Sep 15, 2021 at 4:57 pm
Hey Dan what's going on with the cow building situation. Remember 9 for 1 bragging. Now we don't hear you and a 50 year old building probably with less of a sub-structure as steel span just sold for 10 million.
Don't leave a messy plate Bill.