Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Feb 27/02) - A breeze is beginning to blow for those asphyxiated by the Yellowknife housing crunch.

It's coming from 551 Kam Lake, where developer Les Rocher could build as many as 60 trailer units this spring.

Rocher, who owns Homes North, is in final negotiations with the city for a little under six hectares of land. On Monday, the city's priorities, policies and budget committee passed a motion giving administration authority to sell the land.

A final price for the land is still under negotiation. The city's asking price was $450,000. Rocher and the city have exchanged offers on the land, and a final price is expected soon. Council will then need to approve the final price to seal the deal.

"We'd like to put in in the neighbourhood of 60 homes," Rocher said. "Hopefully they'll be done and ready for the marketplace in early spring. As quickly as we can get title, we will be starting to put homes in."

No price has yet been set on the trailers. Rocher says he hopes to keep them at average prices from last year. Those ranged from $139,000 to $145,000. But Rocher cautioned prices could be higher this year because of a number of factors, including the cost of materials and the rocky topography of the land.

"We finally sold some residential land out of our extensive inventory," said Mayor Gord Van Tighem. "Everyone said it couldn't be done. There you go."

Rocher's was the third offer the city received on the land, which has been on the market since last September.

The planned units come on top of almost 300 rental units being planned or considered for this summer by a number of developers.

"We know that there's a housing shortage at the present time, and we know that the modular home gives you about as economical a package as you can get up here," said Rocher.

"I think that as long as we can keep our numbers in order, we expect to have a good year," he said.