Province to spend $74M on affordable housing

The province is contributing $74 million towards hundreds of new affordable homes in several Alberta communities, officials say.

Thursdays announcement means the province will exceed its goal of helping to create 11,000 housing units by 2012, officials said.

"With funding from previous years and the 764 housing units announced today, the number of housing units to be developed is over 11,600," the province said in a written release.

The new capital grants will provide homes to about 1,500 Albertans in 15 housing projects in six communities, officials said.

In 2007, Premier Ed Stelmach called for a task force to suggest ways to make affordable housing more plentiful.

The Alberta Affordable Housing Task Force recommended a target of 11,000 new housing units for lower-income families, seniors, people with special needs and the homeless.

In February Alberta Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Jonathan Denis announced $90 million for 27 projects in 13 communities across the province.