New affordable housing neighbourhood opens up to residents in Dartmouth

The provincial government says the first residents of 32 new affordable homes for women and their children in Dartmouth have moved in.

Of the 32 new homes in the newly-constructed Mount Hope neighbourhood, 10 are reserved for urban Indigenous families who are without stable housing.

Another 12 will be given to families currently living in hotels with the rest to be filled from existing YWCA Halifax housing programs.

The province says residents of the townhomes will be offered supports for maintaining the unit, referrals for health care services and employment skills training.

The project funded by Nova Scotia, Ottawa and YWCA cost about $12.3 million dollars.

The Department of Community Services is also providing $510,000 in annual operating costs to YWCA Halifax, and the annual operating budget for the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre is being finalized.