It’s happening! Ground has been broken at King & 6th and visions of apartments dance in our heads! KDO’s goal of building rental housing in Dawson is about to be realized. KDO and our partners, the City of Dawson and Yukon Housing have entered into agreements that will result in 8 apartments being constructed this winter.

KDO’s mission includes strengthening critical economic and social sectors. We have continually found that Dawson City’s housing shortage acts as a barrier to its growth and development and that is why the Board of Directors has prioritized this sector.

Despite the shortage of rental housing in Dawson City (particularly in one bedroom stock), all studies have shown that construction costs prohibit the development of a new for-profit rental development at market affordable rents. A community-owned rental housing project operated on a not-for-profit basis and supported by a Yukon Housing Corporation capital grant posed our best chance of adding a significant amount of new housing stock to the market.

Based on our 2014 feasibility study supported by the CMHC Seed Funding program, our concept for a Dawson City housing solution is the development of an apartment complex of compact, energy-efficient units that would be suitable for single individuals, couples, or small families.

For further information, read the CMHC/Yukon Housing joint press release: PR