Airdrie Housing Limited is to build on the site of the former Airdrie RCMP building. (PHOTO - Marty Lawrence)

Airdrie City Council has approved that a request by Airdrie Housing Limited for $150,000 in grant funding be forwarded to the Finance Advisory Committee for consideration in the City's 2014 Operating Budget.

Council heard the organization's annual board approved budget at their October 7 meeting.

Since the budget is balanced, there is no increase in the grant requested for next year from the amount received in 2013.

Since it began in 2009, Airdrie Housing Limited has received a municipal grant from the City to help with its operations, and to date has helped over 700 people meet their housing requirements either through a rental unit or a rental supplement.

The main focus for 2014 is to complete the pre-development phase of a three-storey mixed use building to be constructed on the former RCMP lands on Edmonton Trail.

In 2012, the Province approved the use of the remaining capital grant dollars to develop this project, and as of April 2013, City Council approved the use of these lands for the project, dependent upon the successful rezoning of the area.

A positive outcome will secure the financial sustainability of the organization and will meet the growing need for more housing units.

Vacancy rates for the organization have hovered at the zero level for the past year and a waiting list for housing units has been created.

Of highest demand is the need for one bedroom or garden suites as well as family housing with three bedrooms, and with that demand steadily climbing the need to develop more housing sooner rather than later is imperative.

As well, rents in Airdrie have skyrocketed over the past year, rendering the need for affordable rental units for those on low to moderate incomes all the more vital.

In addition to the pre-development phase, the focus in 2014 will be to put all of the financial pieces together and search for an architect/contractor for the project.

Shelley Sweet, Managing Director of Airdrie Housing Limited, was delighted with Council's decision.

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Jim Hassett, AHL's Board Chair, was grateful to Council for its ongoing support of Airdrie Housing Limited and the chance to assist Community Links as a tenant in the new building.

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It's hoped that the construction phase of the new building can begin in 2015 for occupancy in 2016.