"Calgary housing strategy talks kick off Thursday amid 'crisis' situation"
Over 100 people have registered to share their stories and concerns as the committee tackles the problem, ahead of a decision by council on a new strategy by the weekend.
“It is a crisis, and city council just has to act,” said Elizabeth McLennan with the Calgary Alliance for the Common Good, a non-profit, non-partisan group of unions, schools, and community groups in Calgary representing more than 35,000 people.
For people looking for a place to live, it’s been a dire situation.
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McLennan says the housing crisis is in the spotlight for her because of her granddaughter.
“I have a granddaughter who’s 26 years old, she lives with two of her friends because it takes three of them to actually be able to afford the rent. They live in a small two-bedroom apartment,” McLennan said. “There should be more affordable housing so these young people don’t have to get together to live in crowded circumstances.”
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McLennan said she and her group are hoping Calgary council passes all of the housing recommendations, including the zoning changes, to allow more residences to be built.
“We can’t attract business or new people to Calgary if we have nowhere for them to live,” she said.