Construction set to begin on close to 200 affordable homes in southwest Calgary

A project to build 196 affordable homes broke ground in southwest Calgary Friday.

Construction on 196 affordable homes is slated to begin next month in southwest Calgary.

The Liberty Housing Organization will build on vacant land, near the Heritage LRT station.

Its target occupants are those earning $65,000 or less, annually.

They hope to keep rent to $940 a month for a one bedroom and $1,100 a month for a three bedroom.

The homes should be ready for occupancy in 2027.

This tract of city land was declared surplus in 2019, when the YMCA South recreation facility was demolished.

“We are located very close to the CTrain line,” said Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek. “There are amenities nearby, there’s recreation opportunity.

“We are near places of employment,” she added, “and this kind of a site gives people the opportunity to have a great life even if they don’t have a personal vehicle. It doesn’t limit their ability to participate in work and school.”

The project is part of the city’s Non-Market Housing Land Disposition Policy to sell land at book value rather than at market value to non-profit organizations whose priority is to develop affordable housing.

The goal is to help non-profit housing providers spend less capital funds on land ,which frees them up to invest more dollars in the development of housing for Calgarians.

Since 2015, the Liberty Housing Association has built almost 500 affordable homes in the Calgary area, with a goal of adding 2,500 within the next five years.