Strathcona County has developed a new Housing Affordability Strategy, that was approved by council earlier this week.
Right now, about 15 per cent of households in Strathcona County are living in unaffordable housing, meaning that they’re spending 30 per cent or more of their income on shelter costs.
“Strathcona County is a desirable community that continues to attract people who want to live, work and retire here. At the same time, we recognize there are households in the County struggling with unaffordable housing costs, and growing inflation and decreasing household income compounds the problem,” said Mayor Rod Frank. “This strategy presents key actions we can take as a municipality to make a difference in providing access to affordable housing.”
This new strategy would see the county taking a series of actions over the next six years. This includes adjusting municipal policies, introducing financial incentives for new construction, and monitoring housing trends and data.
The county would also strengthen community relationships, while providing a range of programs and services for those facing housing challenges.
The county has set out three targets in the strategy: to bring in 140 new non-market rental units, 18 new non-market ownership units by 2030. The county would also be adding new 35 new market rental garden or secondary suites every year.
The full Housing Affordability Strategy is available on the Strathcona County website.
