Yellowknife (Sep 12/03) - Residents of Husky Trailer Park are getting a financial boost from the territorial government that will help them keep their homes.

The trailer park is owned by the Town of Inuvik, who came to own the property when the previous owner defaulted on taxes.

The park was never properly surveyed and the utilidette that services the 12 homes has been declared a disaster.

The town had issued an eviction notice last year, giving the residents one year to move their trailers, offering $5,000 for relocation.

That eviction was to be effective Aug. 31.

Residents complained and the town negotiated a lease deal, where they would pay for the survey, utilidor and re-positioning the trailers.

The lease would apply trailer pad rental towards the $35,000 purchase price of the lots.

Roger Allen, minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, met with trailer park residents recently at Ingamo Hall to discuss the situation.

Allen said that under the NWT Housing Corporation Act, the government has the ability to help municipalities and those affected by forced movement.

"The corporation intervened and had a meeting with the tenants," Allen said.

"We came up with a proposal to help them and the municipality out with some neighbourhood improvements and this will help reduce the cost to the individual tenant."

Allen said the housing corporation will provide $125,000 to either the Town of Inuvik to help pay for a new utilidor, a legal survey and re-positioning the trailers, or to the tenants who will use the money as a down payment on the lots.

"It will be determined between the tenants and the town," Allen said, adding that the money will likely go directly to the town.

"Rather than them having to pay $35,000 per lot, it will help reduce it down something more manageable for them," he said.

Town manager Jerry Veltman said the purchase price fop each lot is $35,000, less the grant from the government.

Beginning Sept. 1 each resident will pay $250 per month lot rental, but that money will go towards the purchase of the property.

"If they don't buy the lot, then that just becomes lot rental," Veltman said.

All of the park residents have agreed to the deal, but two have outstanding balances, so they will not get the lease until they are paid in full.

Coun. Clarence Wood chaired the Husky Trailer Park committee and welcomes the contribution from the government, but questions the motivation.

"If the minister wants to make a grant with no strings attached, we'll be more than happy to accept it," Wood said.

Wood doesn't begrudge the trailer park residents getting a break on the purchase of their lots, but questions the fairness to others who have bought new trailer lots in town or new home builders.

"How about other home owners who have just purchased lots and built homes?" Wood asks.

"Are they not all entitled to the same treatment?"