Affordable Housing Grant Program

The 2024-2025 Affordable Housing Grant Program is closed.

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About the Affordable Housing Grant

The Affordable Housing Grant Program is open to all registered non-profit or charitable organizations for costs associated with the development, renovation, or purchase (including land) of affordable housing units. A complete overview of the program’s requirements and edibility criteria can be found in the Administrative Order.

2024-25 Affordable Housing Grant Program Recipients

$5,275,718 was awarded to 10 projects through the 2024-2025 AHGP, supporting the development of 192 affordable housing units and contributing to the repair or renovation of 29 affordable housing units.

Adsum for Women and Children was awarded $268,673 for the renovation of a 4-unit rental building in Halifax.
Affirmative Ventures was awarded $353,400 for the new construction of a 30-unit townhouse development in Westphal.
Akoma Holdings was awarded $270,000 for the development of an 8-unit rental development in Lake Loon.
Kabuki Housing Co-operative was awarded $70,012 for the repair of an 8-unit co-operative housing building in Halifax.
Longhouse Housing Co-operative was awarded $23,400 for heating equipment upgrades involving 13 housing units in Halifax.
The Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre was awarded:
- $500,000 for the conversion of a non-residential building to a residential use, creating 60 units, in Dartmouth; and
- $400,000 for the new construction of an 8-unit rental building in Dartmouth.
Shelter Nova Scotia was awarded $1,100,00 to support the development of a 21-unit supportive housing building in Halifax.
Vihara Housing Co-Operative Limited was awarded $20,233 for their repair project supporting 4 units in Halifax. 
YWCA Halifax was awarded $2,270,000 to support 64 new affordable townhouses in Dartmouth.

2023-2024 Affordable Housing Grant Program Recipients

$6,529,005.78 was allocated to 10 projects through the 2023-2024 AHGP, supporting the development of 107 units of new affordable housing and 8 rooms in a shared housing use, the repair or renovation of 85 units of affordable housing and 12 rooms in a shared housing use, and the acquisition of a 6-unit building by the community housing sector.

Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia was awarded: 
- $502,435 for repairs and accessibility improvements to a 63-room shared housing building in Dartmouth; and  
- $49,438 for repairs to a 12-room shared housing building in Halifax. 
Chisholm Foundation for Children was awarded $200,000 for the new construction of two 4-room shared housing buildings in Lower Sackville. 
Dartmouth Housing (Rooted: Community Development Partners) was awarded $300,000 for the acquisition of a 6-unit apartment building in Dartmouth.
The Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre was awarded $1,350,000 for the new construction of 27 units in Halifax. 
Northwood was awarded $74,635 for repairs to a 66-unit affordable rental building in Halifax. 
YWCA Halifax was awarded:  
- $3,350,000 for the new construction of 67 affordable units in Dartmouth; 
- $650,000 for the new construction of 13 affordable townhouses in Dartmouth; 
- $28,936 for security enhancements to 13 units of affordable housing in Dartmouth; and 
- $23,561 for repairs to 6 affordable housing units in Halifax.

2022-2023 Affordable Housing Grant Program Recipients

$1,429,833.27 was awarded to 8 projects through the 2022-2023 AHGP, supporting the development of 9 units of affordable housing, repair or renovation of 100 units of affordable housing and 40 affordable rooms in a shared housing use, and pre-development studies for one affordable housing development.

Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia was awarded $472,991 for  
- Renovations to 18-room shared housing building in Halifax;  
- Renovations to a 6-unit affordable rental building in Dartmouth; and 
- Renovations to a 12-unit affordable rental building in Dartmouth. 
The Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth has been awarded $68,139 for pre-building assessment for a proposed affordable housing development in Halifax. 
Dartmouth Housing (Rooted: Community Development Partners) was awarded $131,861 to support the construction of 9 units of affordable housing in Cole Harbour. 
The Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia was awarded $24,610 for bathroom repairs supporting a 10-room shared housing use building in Dartmouth. 
The Housing Trust of Nova Scotia was awarded $300,000 for renovations to a 63-unit affordable housing building in Dartmouth. 
Longhouse Housing Co-Operative has been awarded: 
- $78,148 for roof replacement at 3 properties, supporting 6 units in total, in Halifax; and 
- $190,785 for heating system upgrades at 7 properties, supporting 13 units in total, in Halifax. 
The North End Community Health Centre was awarded $163,300 for repairs to a 12-room shared housing use building in Dartmouth.

2021-2022 Affordable Housing Grant Program Recipients

$815,245 was allocated to 3 projects through the 2021-2022 AHGP, supporting the development of 101 new units of affordable housing, and the repair of 4 affordable housing units.

Affirmative Ventures was awarded $162,636 to support the construction of a 45-units of supportive rental housing in Dartmouth.
Compass Nova Scotia was awarded $472,282 for the construction of a 56-unit co-operative housing development in Halifax.
Welcome Housing was awarded $180,327 for the rehabilitation of a 4-unit supportive housing building in Halifax.

Who is eligible?

The Affordable Housing Grant Program is open to registered non-profit or charitable organizations that have been incorporated for at least one year.

Partnerships between a registered non-profit/charitable organization and a private developer may be considered where there is an agreement for the transfer of ownership of the affordable housing, that are the subject of the grant, to the non-profit/charitable organization prior to occupancy.

When is the deadline?

The 2024-2025 Affordable Housing Grant Program is now closed.

How do I apply?

The 2024-2025 Affordable Housing Grant Program is now closed.

How are applications prioritized?

Projects are prioritized based on criteria outlined in Section 25 of the Administrative Order. Considerations include:

- Application and eligibility for other funding programs;

- Aiming to serve a population at higher risk of being in Core Housing Need;

- Accessible design,

- Energy efficient design and components;

- Existing orders from the Municipality to rehabilitate or repair affordable housing;

- Demonstration of financial self-sustainability;

- Demonstration of resources and capacity to complete the project and support additional housing units;

- Applicants who have experience in successfully managing affordable housing;

- Balancing the allocation of money collected through incentive or bonus zoning throughout the Urban Service Boundary;

- Project affordability, including the depth of affordability, length of the affordability term, and the number of dwelling units or rooms that will be affordable;

- If the primary objective of rehabilitation or repairs is to improve accessibility;

- Acquisition where the purchase price is consistent with an independent property appraisal; and

- Pre-development studies, reports, or analyses that have been requested by staff of the municipality during a planning application process.

Common questions

1. What is the Affordable Housing Grant Program (AHGP)?

The AHGP was created by HRM Regional Council to fund affordable housing within the Municipality. The Grant is controlled by Administrative Order Number 2020-008-ADM Respecting Grants for Affordable Housing, which was passed by HRM Regional Council on September 30, 2020. Funding sources for the program include Bonus Zoning as a public benefit from some developments, budgeted municipal operating funds, and funding through the federal Housing Accelerator Fund.

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2. The Administrative Order includes helpful definitions. Here are some definitions that may be useful when you are reading through these common questions:

Affordable Housing: Housing that meets the needs of a variety of households in the low to moderate-income range.

Deep Affordability: Dwelling units rented at a minimum of 40% below the average market rents for a dwelling unit of the same type and within the same Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation Rental Market Survey Zone.

Non-Profit Organization: Refers to a

(i) society incorporated pursuant to the NS Societies Act;

(ii) non-profit association incorporated pursuant to the NS Co-Operative Associations Act;

(iii) not-for-profit incorporated pursuant to the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act;

(iv) non-profit organization otherwise incorporated pursuant to an Act of the Nova Scotia Legislature, or

(v) registered Canadian charitable organization.

Regional Centre Area: The Regional Centre Area shown on the most recent version of Schedule 1 of the Regional Centre Land Use By-law. ____________________________________________________________________

3. What kinds of affordable housing are eligible for the Grant?

Any type of affordable housing is potentially eligible, including shared housing uses, apartments, and low density residential. The affordable housing must be owned by an eligible Non-Profit Organization (NPO), as defined in the Administrative Order.

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4. How many projects will be selected?
The number of projects selected will depend on the number and quality of applications received, and by the amounts being requested by the selected projects.

Note: The full requested amount may not be awarded to each applicant.

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5. At what stage of the development process does the Non-Profit Organization (NPO) have to own the property to be developed or repaired to be eligible for the Grant?
Prior to the Grant being disbursed to successful applicants, one of the following conditions must apply:

The subject property or units must be owned by one or more NPOs; or

For funds to be distributed prior to ownership by an NPO, a written agreement confirming that ownership of the affordable housing will be conveyed to an NPO prior to Occupancy is required.

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6. What happens if the grant is awarded and paid but the development is not completed?
Successful applicants will be required to enter into a Contribution Agreement, which will include provisions that address potential changes to the development.

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7. Are there any requirements for the size of the affordable units or the number of bedrooms in the units being provided?
No. There are no requirements relating to the size of the units or the number of bedrooms to be eligible for the Affordable Housing Grant Program. However, proposed developments must meet all other Municipal requirements, including those in the applicable Land Use By-law and the Building Code.

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8. What costs are eligible for the Affordable Housing Grant?

The Affordable Housing Grant Program can provide funding for:

The development of new affordable housing (inclusive of design and construction costs);
The rehabilitation of existing affordable housing (inclusive of design and construction costs);
Property and building assessments;
The acquisition of buildings, housing units, or properties for affordable housing.

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9. What costs are ineligible for the Affordable Housing Grant?
According to the Administrative Order, the following costs are ineligible for the Affordable Housing Grant Program:

× Private sector construction of affordable housing, unless Section 8 of the AO applies;

× Rehabilitation of affordable housing that is not owned by a non-profit organization;

× Operating expenses of the non-profit organization, including wages of employees of the non-profit organization, debt payment, or losses from a previous fiscal year.

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10. Where can I find the application form?

Application forms for the Affordable Housing Grant Program can be found on this webpage during the application window.

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11. What is the deadline for application?
The Administrative Order prescribes that AHGP applications open on September 1 and close on December 1.

The 2025 deadline was Monday, December 2, 2024. The Affordable Housing Grant Program review team must receive all materials by this deadline. A pre-application meeting is also needed before application.

Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out to municipal staff prior to the deadline if there are any outstanding questions. We are here to help!

Email the Grant team for additional information or to set up a meeting.

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12. Can two Non-Profit Organizations apply for the Grant in partnership with one another?
Yes. If all applicants are qualified Non-Profit Organizations, applications from a partnership will be considered.

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13. Are projects funded by the Grant required to be completed in 2025?
No, there is no requirement that funded projects be completed in 2025.
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14. Is the Affordable Housing Grant Program a partnership with the Province or is it solely an HRM initiative?
The Affordable Housing Grant Program is an HRM initiative. However, projects that also qualify for funding from the Nova Scotia Department of Municipal Affairs and Housing or the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) will be given priority.

Have questions about the Affordable Housing Grant Program? Send us an email.