ADob
Active Member
Hey, I'd be much more likely to fly if I could light up a cigarette and pinch the stewardess on the bum. Too darn much wokeness going around these days!
Blatchford
- Thread starter Daveography
- Start date
Coprolite
Active Member
New Blatchford newsletter just dropped, with a particularly eye-catching detail.
Kosy123
Senior Member
Lies. Lorne Gunter told me this was a woke boondoggle!!
thommyjo
Senior Member
Not saying they’re lying, but this is year 3 of them announcing that. I’m sure it’ll happen, it’s just been so slow sadly. Hopefully they finally have a few more break ground this year.
policyenthusiast
Senior Member
If it's market housing, I'll be keeping an eye on pre-construction purchase availability. Sounds nice.
Coprolite
Active Member
This is the first time that six have been in the planning stage. This is by far the highest that number has been. It is at the very least an indicator of more interest.
But, given what the design, planning, and financing processes are like for 4-6 story apartments in general, I would be surprised if more than one broke ground this year (because prior to this there was only a suggestion of one other in the planning stage). I would be entirely unsurprised if none did. But it wouldn't surprise me if one broke ground next year either, or if we got design concepts this year. It also wouldn't surprise me if one cancelled entirely because that absolutely happens. And, it's virtually guaranteed that not all six will break ground this year.
CplKlinger
Senior Member
The one I think is most likely is the Metis Housing Corporation project by the aviation museum, since I think they have funding and they stated they want to break ground this spring. If a market option also breaks ground, I'll be pleasantly surprised.
policyenthusiast
Senior Member
Unfortunately our financial frameworks for housing (both locally and nationally) overwhelmingly support purpose-built rentals. It's good that we're boosting vacancy and keeping shelter costs stable, but without market housing supply young folks & families will still be at the whim of price volatility. At least with ownership, that volatility directly translates to the equity in the home.
The bottom rung of the housing ladder keeps getting wider, but if we don't get going on attainable starter homes, the only owners in Canada will be corporations and government.
David A
Senior Member
Unlike almost anywhere else in Canada, you actually can still buy a fairly decent existing 2 bedroom condo in downtown Edmonton for around $200,000 or so. It may not be new or fancy, but it is a rung of the housing ladder.
ADob
Active Member
Our building is beautiful and very well maintained and our units are huge and bright with two balconies and a fair chunk below $200k. I'd also never buy a new condo because their layouts are idiotic, while our 70's baby is spacious and boasts tonnes of storage.
policyenthusiast
Senior Member
You are correct, but 10:1 odds you're gonna be getting a MURB incentive-funded low-rise at that price point, which sort of reinforces the point here. Those affordable, starter-friendly homes came from an era of government where market housing was incentivized and prioritized. It's entirely too much purpose-built rentals now.
fjordgard
Active Member
I am going to take a more optimistic view. I think the Metis Housing one will definitely start and there is a greater than 50% change that one other one starts.
David A
Senior Member
Actually, the buildings I was thinking of were high rises, fairly well maintained. I don't believe they were built as MURBs, but not sure that matters as much now as the current state.
Whether government financed or not, people in the 1970's were quite happy to have modest 2 or 3 bedroom home with a square footage that would seem small today, however they were quite adequate.
If you want a huge fancy house like so many seem to these days, be prepared to pay a fancy price but lets not call them starter homes or expect a starter home price for them.