NSNDP Homes Within Reach would combat housing costs, cost-of-living crisis

HALIFAX – Today, NSNDP Leader Claudia Chender announced “Homes Within Reach”, three new housing solutions to combat the cost-of-living crisis. While the cost of everything is increasing, housing remains the largest single expense for most families.

“The answer to the housing crisis is to build the unprecedented number of homes we know we need, make sure every Nova Scotian can afford to buy or rent, and to keep people in the homes they have now,” said Chender. “What people across this province need is a government that is there to support the work they are already doing. People want and deserve a government that cares about them the way we all care about each other.”

To address the housing crisis, Claudia Chender’s New Democrats would:

• support the non-market housing sector to leverage federal funding by prioritizing the use of prefabricated/modular construction and enable the rapid expansion of non-profit and co-op housing projects in the province;
• expand the current Down Payment Assistance Program from 5 to 10% of purchase price up to $50,000 and extend the repayment period from 10 years to 25 years and;
• establish real rent control and create a renters’ tax credit for low and middle-income households to help offset the rising costs of rent.

The NSNDP remains committed to previously announced housing solutions like a rental tenancies enforcement branch, vacant land taxes, and serious investment in affordable public, non-profit, and co-op housing options across the province.

Nova Scotia New Democrats are meeting in Halifax this weekend at their biannual policy convention.

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