Compass Housing Asks Saint Andrews For Development Affordable Housing Agreement

Saint Andrews, New Brunswick, like many other communities across the country, is in the midst of a housing crisis. Many local businesses is the tourism town are having trouble finding adequate employment during the busy summer months due to the lack of available affordable housing in the community. The Pier Restaurant on Water Street has even offered to pay weekly gas bonuses to employees travelling in from other communities, yet the restaurant still hasn't been able to secure enough staff for summer 2022 to even open for the season.

The Town of Saint Andrews has been actively engaging with developers in the hopes of finding a company willing to invest in and develop affordable housing for the community. Compass Housing, a local developer behind past projects such as the 37-unit Anchors Landing in Saint Andrews and the Beacon, a 50-unit St. Stephen building, is hoping to build a 42-unit affordable housing unit at the former location of the Blue Moon Motel.

Tressa Bevington of Compass Housing recently asked the town to consider going into a development agreement with Compass to build a rental complex, called The Compass, that will include 36 two bedroom units and 6 1-bedroom units ranging in price from $800 to $1200 per month. People working in the community in the service sector at minimum wage level jobs will be prioritized as renters at the apartment building.

"What really need is high density housing, and this is going to be the best place for it," said Bevington to Town Council about the proposed location during a recent presentation of her company's plans for Compass Housing.