Tannery Court Editorial: There's room in city for Tannery Court

The Telegraph Journal ran an editorial supporting Tannery Court entitled There's room in city for Tannery Court.

Here is the text of the editorial:

Saint John urgently needs new subsidized housing, and the community's approach to the issue is changing. Saint Johners have embraced mixed-income buildings on residential streets over the creation of low-income neighbourhoods.

Mixed-income, infill housing breaks the isolation that traditional welfare housing imposes on residents, but it isn't the only effective model. Rather than trying to imposed a mixed-income model on all new housing projects, the city must seek a balance that meets the needs of low-income citizens.

The Tannery Court building under construction in the south end is an example of an alternate model designed for citizens with particular needs. Its residents will be young to middle-aged. They may have medical conditions that make it difficult to work. Most are already living in the area, so there's no worry about adding to the poverty level in the neighbourhood. The co-op will simply give these Saint Johners a better place to live.

Tannery Court Cooperative offers its tenants security, better accommodations than they have been able to find or afford in the past and a greater measure of independence. Its buildings are managed to provide a supportive environment, from safe housing to advice on accessing government services and programs. A tenants' committee gets residents engaged in the life of the buildings and their governance.

A study just released by University of New Brunswick and Université de Moncton has confirmed this model works.

Tenants of Tannery Court residences in Moncton and Fredericton reported better quality of life, greater happiness and improved self-confidence after moving into their co-ops. They also reported more engagement and connection with the larger community. In Moncton, nearly half reported getting involved through volunteering; in Fredericton, the rate was about 30 per cent.

Tannery Court can be expected to have a similar impact in Saint John, giving its residents new safety, stability and resources while relieving poverty in the neighbourhood.

The goal of subsidized housing is to offer supports that meet the needs of individuals and the community. It's a question of finding the right model for particular circumstances, rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all approach.

This of course prompted critics of Tannery Court to share their concerns, including:

Do it right the first time... instead of perpetuating the same old mistakes.
If you really want to make it better, then create mixed-income neighbourhoods, instead of GHETTOS!!!