An appeal has been filed to oppose the construction of an affordable housing project in Amherst, N.S., leading to a delay in the commencement of building the apartment complex. The YMCA of Cumberland intends to develop two buildings at 1 Albion St., comprising a total of 36 units, with plans for its housing outreach staff to operate from one of the buildings. A third of the units are designated for supportive housing, subject to securing funding from the province.
Trina Clarke, the CEO of the YMCA of Cumberland, expressed understanding of the situation, stating, “We thought that this may happen, but we’re confident in the process and we’re confident in our development.” The Amherst town council previously voted 4-2 in favor of the development agreement, with Coun. Dwayne Ripley and Coun. Nic Furlong casting opposing votes.
On Aug. 4, Amherst resident Ray Hickey lodged an appeal against the council decision, citing concerns about existing conflicts arising from supportive housing and the associated office in the vicinity. Hickey emphasized the negative impact on neighboring businesses, services, and residents, attributing issues like open drug use to a decrease in downtown foot traffic. He also mentioned a fatal shooting in April near an emergency shelter and supportive housing units that further heightened safety concerns.
Ashley Legere, the executive director of the Cumberland Homelessness and Housing Support Association, highlighted community engagement efforts following the incident and emphasized the need to address liability issues related to staff attending private properties. Although not directly involved in the YMCA project, Legere acknowledged its potential contribution to alleviating the housing crisis.
The development garnered support from various local non-profits and Nova Scotia Health during the planning phase. Trina Clarke stressed the project’s importance in addressing longstanding downtown issues during the final public hearing.
Hickey raised concerns about inadequate amenity space in the project, alleging a violation of the municipal planning strategy. While the plans include just over 300 square meters of shared outdoor space without balconies, Hickey argued that this falls short of the required amenity space outlined in the land-use bylaw. Andrew Fisher, the town’s planning director, defended the adequacy of the amenity space, noting that residents could utilize nearby parks.
Clarke mentioned that YMCA’s housing outreach staff assisted 186 homeless individuals in the county over the past year, with half seeking help for the first time. She anticipated that the appeal could delay the groundbreaking work for the project by six to 12 months, expressing concern about the growing housing crisis and the impact of such delays.
