On Tuesday, the Affordable Housing Task Force appeared before town council with a presentation highlighting the urgent need for affordable housing in Okotoks.

The presentation featured data gathered over several months comparing housing in Okotoks to housing in surrounding regions and across the province.

According to the data shown, rent and utilities in Okotoks are 24% higher than the provincial average.

A 5% down payment on a house would require no prior household debt and an annual income of $100,000 (the average annual income for residents in 2017 was $79,672).

By their estimation, 19% of renters are paying over 50% of their income on housing. 294 affordable rental units would be required to address the needs of these households.

The task force brought three recommendations before council: revising laws on legal suites to allow more secondary/detached suites, the investment in land specifically for rental properties, and the implementation of a system in which to monitor progress and collect household data.

The council voted unanimously in support of all three recommendations.

The Affordable Housing Task Force stressed that fixing the town's housing problems requires a long term solution, and the implementation of their three recommendations would only be a small first step.

For more information, including the full presentation given by the task force, click here.

 

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