The NWT YWCA has sounded the alarm about the lack of affordable housing in Yellowknife and elsewhere in the territory.
Hawa Dumbaya-Sesay, executive director of the YWCA NWT, says around 50 families are on the waitlist for housing just with the YWCA.
There are a number of NGO’s in Yellowknife who provide shelter and housing.
YWCA is the only one who houses families.
They meet with families, and set up housing for them, often taking over leases for people who can’t pay
Finding funding that is continuous over multiple years is difficult.
That makes signing leases to provide houses to these families precarious, and adds risk for the organization.
Around 50 families are on the YWCA’s waitlist.
But until more affordable housing is built, Dumbaya-Sesay says they will continue to try to find housing for people when possible.