The province of Nova Scotia is buying 25 fully furnished modular homes to rent out to victims of the recent wildfires.
The two- and three-bedroom homes come at a cost of $7.4 million to the province.
“People who suddenly lost their homes or suffered significant damage need housing now, and we have been working urgently with our partners to come up with affordable housing options that allow people to stay in their communities,” Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister John Lohr said in a Tuesday release.
“These modulars will provide a safe and comfortable space for people who need them as they work through the trauma of losing their home and the stress of possibly rebuilding or repairing.”
More than 200 homes were lost in the wildfires in June. Officials have said about 60 were destroyed in the Barrington Lake wildfire in Shelburne County, while the fire in the Tantallon area of Halifax Regional Municipality claimed 150.
Kent Homes will supply, deliver and install the homes — either on people’s current property while they rebuild or on land the province is working to find with “adequate services where modulars can be placed.”
“Rents will be based on the average market rate and will range from about $1,000 to $2,000 a month, depending on people’s circumstances, such as location and insurance status,” the province noted.
Leases will be month to month.
According to the province, the Nova Scotia Provincial Housing Agency will lease and manage the homes while the Canadian Red Cross will be responsible for referrals and rent supports.
The province said it is also in “advanced discussions” with other modular home providers to have more units available.
Those in the housing and real estate industries have warned that housing concerns are mounting, and the loss of homes due to the wildfires only added to the crunch.
One realtor told Global News in June that prior to the fires, he saw about four to six offers on a home. Since the fires, he’d seen that “dramatically change,” with about 12 to 16 or even 20 offers on the average home.
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