New Affordable Housing Project In The Works For St. Andrews

A local developer in St. Andrews is hoping to build a 42-unit affordable housing unit at the former location of the Blue Moon Motel to aid with the housing crisis. Tressa Bevington of Compass Housing recently presented plans at a town council meeting for a rental complex, called The Compass, that will include 36 two-bedroom units and 6 one-bedroom units ranging in price from $800 to $1200 per month.  Compass Housing is the same team of people who developed 37-unit Anchors Landing in Saint Andrews and the Beacon, a 50-unit St. Stephen building. 

The Town of Saint Andrews has pledged to enter into a development agreement with Compass Housing by providing a $500,000 grant towards the project if the lot is rezoned and construction is able to go forward. Although the project has been met with criticism from some concerned locals, Mayor Brad Henderson said at Monday night's council meeting that the town needs to be proactive to address the housing crisis before it becomes even more critical.

There is currently a 2.5% vacancy rate in Saint Andrews, which equates to only 2 units being available at the current moment in town. A healthy vacancy rate is between 3% and 5%.

Finally, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, the federal Minister responsible for ACOA, was in St. Andrews on Thursday to announce an investment of over $70,000 towards a new wellness park. The outdoor gym will be located at the Pointe adjacent to the trail and will feature eight exercise stations that encourage accessibility to fitness for all. The Town of Saint Andrews is also contributing over $23,000 towards the project.