A community group in Queens has secured $40,000 in provincial funding to work on increasing the supply of affordable housing for seniors.<\/p>\n
The Queens Care Society received a grant from the province\u2019s $916,000 Community Housing Capacity Building Program.<\/p>\n
Society member Susan MacLeod says the group will use the money to hire an experienced coordinator who will have several responsibilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cDealing with potential developers, working with other government levels that support housing, working with other funding agencies to acquire monies when the build is to be done,\u201d said MacLeod.<\/p>\n
The group is exploring options but MacLeod says they\u2019re interested in developing an affordable co-op housing model where tenants can buy-in.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes if you own your own home or you have a mortgage that is available for the home then you\u2019re more apt to take a bit more interest in things.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Queens Care Society is a small group of 15 people operating out of the Queens County Home Support board room.<\/p>\n
Covering all of Queens County, the members are supported by the senior safety officer and affiliations with other community organizations dealing with seniors care.<\/p>\n
MacLeod says as a group they work to identify issues, find solutions, and get them up and running before leaving them to run independently.<\/p>\n
She says Queens County Transit was an idea that came out of the society and now operates on its own.<\/p>\n
MacLeod says the group will tackle the housing issue in the same way.<\/p>\n
After hiring their project coordinator, MacLeod says their next steps will be to form a new non-profit housing side to their society.<\/p>\n
They\u2019re looking for board members with financial experience, landlords and developers who can find ways to build more seniors housing.<\/p>\n
MacLeod says the group will also ask the municipal and provincial governments to make land available for an affordable housing build.<\/p>\n
She says her group is drawing on all their collective skills and experience to make affordable seniors housing a reality in Queens.<\/p>\n