Funding announced for Halifax-area projects to provide 20 affordable housing units

HALIFAX -

More than $6 million in federal and provincial funding is going toward two affordable housing projects in the greater Halifax area to be built within a year.

The federal government is providing $3.4 million for Souls Harbour Rescue Mission to build and operate a 12-unit supportive housing facility on the Eastern Shore for women and children who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

Another $3.1 million through the federal rapid housing initiative is going to non-profit Akoma Holdings to build and operate eight townhomes on Main Street in Dartmouth, which will offer affordable housing designed for African Nova Scotian women with families from the Preston area.

The province is providing $500,000 to support the two projects.

Ahmed Hussen, the federal housing minister, says projects under the federal program must be built within a year of being announced.

On Thursday, Hussen announced a new multi-million affordable housing project in Dartmouth that will house 65 people who either struggle with addictions or have just been released from hospital in a renovated former hotel.

Michelle Porter, CEO of Souls Harbour Rescue Mission, said the goal of her organization's project is to help give a "sense of community" to women who often come from abusive situations.

"It will be more than a roof over their heads," said Porter. "It will be a place where they feel valued and where they can envision a future that makes sense for them."

Spencer Colley, a board member of Akoma Holdings, said it's not known yet who from the Preston area will qualify for the townhomes, but the units will go to people based on need.

"As soon as they are completed we will certainly fill them as quickly as we can," Colley said.

He said the funding has encouraged his family support organization, which was incorporated from the assets of the former Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children in 2014, to do more in the area of housing.

"It's opening doors for us," he said. "We have a lot of property that we want to deal with."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2022.