(August 25, 2023, St. John’s) – David Brazil, PC Official Opposition Leader and MHA for Conception Bay East-Bell Island, is raising the alarm about recent information that shows the Furey Government has hundreds of low income housing units across the province sitting empty, while hundreds of families are desperate for a place to live.

An access to information request shows the number of vacant units at Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC) is 143 as of July 26, 2023. Those units are “in various stages of repair process,” according to the documents. Another 213 units are “selected, pending selection or no demand.”

“We have hundreds of Ukrainians living in hotels, while waitlists for housing have exploded. Vacancy rates on the Avalon have plummeted and rental rates have sky rocketed. MUNL has students with no housing and has even offered to defer studies to send students back home,” said Brazil.

“We are watching a housing crisis unfold before our eyes and the Liberal Government is sitting on hundreds of empty units. It is simply unbelievable.”

Chris Tibbs, PC Official Opposition Shadow Minister for Housing and MHA for Grand Falls-Windsor –

Buchans, says his office is getting numerous calls from around the district.

“Every day my office hears of stories of people lined up at apartment viewings, families living in tents and others looking for months for housing. Yet, publicly owned units sit empty. This is completely unacceptable,” said Tibbs.

“I continue to hear heart breaking stories from seniors and working families desperate for a place to call home, yet Government has at least 143 empty units waiting for repair. Where is the Minister and what is the plan to address this situation?

“Government loves to appoint Committees and Task Forces to study issues when they cannot even properly manage the Housing portfolio they already own. The Minister needs to stop making excuses and get the keys to these into the hands of those in need.”

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Contacts:

David Maher

Director of Strategic Communications

(cell) 709-725-0984

DavidMaher@gov.nl.ca