Article content Surplus land at 56 Tooker Street in the Town of Yarmouth. TOWN OF YARMOUTH MAPArticle content• 37 ARGYLE STREET: The vacant corner property offers approximately 21-metre frontage along Argyle Street and 31 metres of frontage along Flint Lane. The property allows for up to five dwelling units that can include single and semi-detached homes, or multi-unit developments. The assessed value of the property is $20,000.Article content Surplus land at 37 Argyle Street in the Town of Yarmouth. TOWN OF YARMOUTH MAPArticle content• 22 CHESTER STREET: The vacant property offers approximately 24 metres of street frontage. The property allows for up to five dwelling units, which can be single and semi-detached homes, or multi-unit developments. The assessed value of the property is $25,000.Article content Surplus land at 22 Chester Street in the Town of Yarmouth. TOWN OF YARMOUTH MAPArticle contentThe property descriptions include information on maximum height allowances, and proximity to schools, services and public transit stops. The deadline for submissions is Dec. 29.Article contentArticle contentBEEN DONE BEFOREArticle content“Yarmouth is facing a housing shortage. The town can support non-profits by providing surplus land at $1, helping them build affordable units faster,” the town’s website says.Article contentArticle contentIt points to a successful example of this on Shaw Avenue in Yarmouth, where town-owned property once stood vacant. In 2024, the town sold the land to the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia (AHANS) for $1.Article contentArticle content“Affordable units will rent for between $397 and $1,085 a month – far below the current $2,000 to $2,200 average monthly rent for similar-sized units,” the town says on its website.Article content A housing development is under construction in Yarmouth on Shaw Avenue. It is a project of the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia. TINA COMEAUArticle contentThe units are designed to be net zero, making the living spaces more efficient and affordable. The project also meets federal adaptability standards, with all common spaces being barrier free.Article contentIn July, the province announced it was contributing $2.66 million towards this housing project. The project has also been supported with $3.9 million from the federal government’s Affordable Housing Fund.Article contentArticle contentThe town’s new surplus lands policy is an initiative funded by the Government of Canada and its Housing Accelerator Fund.Article contentIn September, the Town of Yarmouth also announced that it had developed an Affordable Housing Grant Policy, to provide up to $650,000 in affordable housing development grants. Applications were to be on a first-come, first-serve basis and would be awarded based on eligibility and availability of finds from the Affordable Housing Reserve.Article contentThe town’s five initiatives in its Housing Accelerator Fund program are:Article content• Initiative 1: Create a Surplus Lands Program for Affordable HousingArticle content• Initiative 2: Develop a Parking Management StrategyArticle content• Initiative 3: Regulatory Changes to Support HousingArticle content• Initiative 4: Create a Priority Approvals Stream for Housing ProjectsArticle content• Initiative 5: Development Incentives ProgramArticle contentMore information about the town’s affordable housing initiatives and policies and the Housing Accelerator Fund can be found on the town’s website.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentFor more information about the program, including properties currently available and how to apply, CLICK HERE. Article contentTo learn more about the Housing Accelerator Plan and the Town’s Action Plan, CLICK HERE.Article content
Town of Yarmouth removes land costs on surplus properties to boost affordable housing development
