The tiny home solution: Fredericton not-for-profit pitches affordable housing game changer
CBC
Marcel LeBrun proudly opens the front door of a tiny home he has been building in his Fredericton backyard and points to its full kitchen, three-piece bathroom, loft and living space.
This 23-square-metre home is the beginning of what LeBrun hopes will be a new start for the people who will eventually move in.
His not-for-profit, 12 Neighbours Inc., plans to build a community of 96 tiny homes on a 24-hectare lot on Fredericton's north side as an antidote to the affordable housing crisis.
"It has everything anyone would need," LeBrun said of the model home, joking that it's so well insulated, tenants will be able to heat these homes "with a candle."
The project goes before Fredericton's Planning Advisory Committee on Wednesday evening for approval. City staff are recommending the property at 269 Two Nations Crossing be rezoned to allow it to go ahead.
In a report to committee members, city planner Fredrick Van Rooyen said staff are "of the opinion that the proposal is an innovative development that makes a significant contribution to the supply of affordable housing in the City of Fredericton."
Housing advocates and experts say projects led by not-for-profit groups are exactly what New Brunswick needs to increase the inventory of affordable options, which have been greatly reduced in the past decade as out-of-province investors purchase properties and raise rents.