INNISFAIL – Council has taken its first big step towards developing a comprehensive community housing strategy, and if private developers are not interested in creating future projects outside current high-end stock, the town could be forced to build more affordable options alone.
"I think we have a role to play and that is to make sure we don’t get caught like we are now with nothing available rather than some high-end lots,” said Mayor Jim Romane, conceding there are many who would prefer the town not be in the housing development business. "Staff are going to be approaching developers and saying, ‘look, if you guys don’t get back into Innisfail and developing here I guess we are going to start back into it ourselves.’ It’s not my preference or anybody’s but we have to do something.”
The seriousness of the lack of affordable housing in town has been escalating in recent years and arguably became the most important issue with locals during last October’s election campaign. The current housing projects underway, which include those created and run by the town -- Hazelwood Estates and Napoleon Meadows -- are all higher-end and outside the affordability of most seniors and low- and middle-income earners.
On Jan. 2 town council held an Agenda and Priorities Meeting, and veteran planner Craig Teal, the director of Parkland Community Planning Services, gave an hour-long presentation and history of the current housing projects already built, those that are planned, and lands, notably in the northern sections of the town, earmarked for future development. Romane said it was an important first big step for the new council to get acquainted with Innisfail’s current housing development picture.
"For me it was a refresher. What have we got in town? We have to do something short term,” said Romane. "We need something because right now we are stagnant with opportunities for people wanting to downsize (and) starter homes,” said Romane, adding he would like to see a housing development initiated in the town offering homes in the more affordable $250,000 to $300,000 range.
"We have to look at this very closely because those are the things the rest of Central Alberta is capitalizing on that we are not,” he added.
Todd Becker, the town’s chief administrative officer, said the next step is to engage private developers one on one this month and get a status update on how each has identified the town being a market opportunity. He will then provide that feedback to council.
Becker said once council hears the feedback, members can then decide whether to leave the issue to the market or have a "level of some influence” to initiate housing development in the community, which the town already has had over the past decade with higher-end development projects.
"My view is from my experience is that the town should be in a position to influence,” said Becker. "If there is a demand and it’s not being met by the private sector with all opportunities to do that, then the town should have some ability to influence the market, not fully having a negative influence on the private developer.
"Our initial purpose is to provide legislation and guidance for the development of our community,” he added. "However, if the needs are not being met by private market then the town should have some level of influence to generate the market.”
Mayor Jim Romane
"Staff are going to be approaching developers and saying, 'look, if you guys don't get back into Innisfail and developing here I guess we are going to start back into it ourselves.'"
