Brandon Sun - PRINT EDITION
The Manitoba government's $1.4-million initiative to support the construction of secondary suites in homes bodes well for the local "housing ladder," Brandon Mayor Dave Burgess says.
"I think it's a very positive step and it's a logical one and it will provide affordable housing possibilities in our city very easily and fairly swiftly," Burgess told the Sun.
The initiative will provide a forgivable loan up to $35,000 which is intended to cover up to 50 per cent of the cost of constructing a self-sufficient suite that can be added to an existing home or created within residences, Housing and Community Development Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross announced yesterday.
It will also be a way to meet an increasing demand within the immigrant community to have extended families live on one property, she added.
"This initiative will help homeowners ... provide the necessary support services for their loved one be it a parent or grandparent they want to provide services for. It may be a student from out of the city," Irvin-Ross said in a release.
Separate suites in homes zoned as "single family" used to be illegal in Brandon. City council implemented a bylaw in April 2006 to make the so-called "granny suites" allowed everywhere except mobile homes.
Coun. Garth Rice (South Centre) supported the bylaw in 2006 and today, he sees the provincial initiative as another step in the right direction.
"It will help alleviate the low-income and affordable housing crunch because families taking care of families obviously frees up other housings," Rice said.
The funding will only pay for 40 secondary suites, but it means 40 more housing units the province didn't have before, he added.
Secondary suites have existed for decades, many of them added to existing homes without any input from the city or meeting building codes.
This program could make these suites more of a plus to neighbourhoods and even boost real estate sales, Burgess said.
"That all goes into serving the housing ladder. If a senior moves out of their older home that they've maybe been in for a lot of years, that's an affordable option for somebody to buy at a lower cost than the brand new homes," he said.
Homeowners must show Manitoba Housing that the main dwelling meets minimum health and safety standards before funding is approved. Construction of a suite must follow proper zoning regulations and building codes.
Loans will be limited to one secondary suite per principal residence. The program is based on legislation introduced this spring by NDP Maples MLA Mohinder Saran, who said it allows families the chance at spending more time together in a safe environment.
» With files from Winnipeg Free Press
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition July 2, 2010 A3
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The Manitoba government's $1.4-million initiative to support the construction of secondary suites in homes bodes well for the local "housing ladder," Brandon Mayor Dave Burgess says.
"I think it's a very positive step and it's a logical one and it will provide affordable housing possibilities in our city very easily and fairly swiftly," Burgess told the Sun.
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The Manitoba government's $1.4-million initiative to support the construction of secondary suites in homes bodes well for the local "housing ladder," Brandon Mayor Dave Burgess says.
"I think it's a very positive step and it's a logical one and it will provide affordable housing possibilities in our city very easily and fairly swiftly," Burgess told the Sun.
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Posted by:Deborah Boschman
July 2, 2010 at 11:39 PM
Our current Mayor had 4 YEARS to address this issue.
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It's VERY INTERESTING to me how an election year SUDDENLY MOVES someone to action when you had the chance to move on this issue 4 years ago, heck 8 years ago already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!