We sat down with Colleen Cameron, chair of the Antigonish Affordable Housing Society to ask her what’s up with those new affordable housing units on Appleseed Drive. And what is affordable housing exactly? How does it work and who is allowed to rent the units? Colleen gives us all the answers, and valuable insight into the housing crisis.

Link to learn more or donate to the society:

https://www.antigonishaffordablehousing.ca/

Summary of the main points from the interview (auto-generated):

New Development Details

* 17 new units opening August 1st (with 4 units delayed until August 15th)

* Located across from elementary and junior schools

* Connected to existing Appleseed Court Phase One (12 units)

* 120 applications received for just 17 units, showing massive demand

* This brings their total to 45 units over 10 years

What is Affordable Housing?

Two definitions of "affordable":

* Personal affordability: Housing costs should not exceed 30% of total household income

* Unit classification: Rent must be below 80% of median market rent in the area

Funding structure:

* Federal funding through CMHC (Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation)

* Not grants but 40-50 year mortgages at low interest rates

* Units must generate income to pay back the mortgage

Income Caps and Rent Structure

Maximum household incomes to qualify:

* One bedroom: $62,500

* Two bedroom: $73,500

* Three bedroom: $84,000

Rent ranges:

* Two-bedroom units: $838-920 (all-inclusive: utilities, snow removal, maintenance)

* Significantly below market rates (market rate example given was $1,550 for a two-bedroom house)

Financial Challenges

"It doesn't work" financially:

* Rental income doesn't cover all operational costs (mortgage, maintenance, taxes, utilities)

* Organization relies heavily on fundraising and donations to bridge gaps

* Community navigator position (75% navigator, 25% property manager) must be funded through donations

* Chair Colleen Cameron spends approximately 30 hours per week volunteering

* Government has refused requests for funding executive director or staff positions

Tenant Demographics

Diverse resident population:

* Ages range from 6 months to 90 years old

* Single mothers, two-parent families, young unattached males, seniors

* People with physical and mental disabilities

* Mix of working professionals and those receiving rent subsidies

* Many tenants still pay more than 30% of income on housing despite "affordable" rates

Housing Continuum Context

Affordable housing sits between public/social housing and market-rate housing on the housing continuum: Homeless → Transition housing → Shelters → Public housing → Affordable housing → Market rent

Future Plans

Sugarloaf Development:

* Planning 50-55 new units on donated Dr. Hendricks property

* Will include 1-4 bedroom units

* Economy of scale expected to improve financial sustainability

* Considering mixed-income model with some market-rate units to cross-subsidize affordable ones

Government and Community Support

Municipal relationships:

* Strong support from both town and county councils

* Financial contributions for each of their four builds

* Council members have served on the organization's board

Systemic issues identified:

* Federal government stopped investing in public housing 30 years ago

* Current system pushes responsibility from federal → provincial → municipal → volunteers

* Process for developers to access affordable housing funding is overly complicated

Public Misconceptions

* Affordable housing often confused with public housing

* Residents include working professionals, not just lowest-income individuals

* Mixed-income community is intentional and beneficial

Broader Housing Crisis Context

* 25% of Antigonish residents are over 65, many seeking smaller accommodations closer to town

* Food insecurity has grown significantly alongside housing affordability issues

* Low turnover in affordable units due to dramatic rent differences with market housing

* Current model may inadvertently discourage income growth to maintain housing eligibility

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