City leaders have approved the sale of land in downtown Edmonton for just $1,000 to a non-profit organization to build transitional housing.

At least one owner is contesting the city’s decision. He tells CityNews he owns more than 50 affordable housing units in the area and no one from the city has ever contacted him to see if it was a good idea.

“Zero community engagement… there’s zero because you know what, they don’t care,” said Amedio Pagliuso, a public housing owner.

RELATED: Multi-million dollar land in Edmonton sold to non-profit for $1,000

Pagliuso owns and operates more than 78 housing units in the neighborhoods district and 51 of those units are located just inside the proposed block of land. The owner is concerned that the project could impact, or in his words, “disrupt the progress of the community.”

“If we look at where other homeless shelters exist, basically there’s a homeless shelter there, and then there’s a whole bunch of cottage industries and encampments surrounding the homeless shelters. homeless, there are plenty of people who don’t want to be inside homeless shelters because they They can’t do drugs in homeless shelters, they can’t have drugs “Weapons in homeless shelters,” Pagliuso said.

The land next to Kinistaw Park was valued at $3.4 million, and some residents and stakeholders, including Amadeo, were unsure about selling it for a thousand dollars.

On Oct. 31, CityNews contacted the nonprofit to request a statement saying, “We are truly grateful for our neighbor’s support for the proposed building and look forward to continuing our journey as a neighbor in the community . »

But for Amedeo, it’s a different story.

“Not a single person that I know of, and I know all the stakeholders there and in the surrounding area very well. Not a single person was consulted about this development.

However, according to the neighborhood councilor, the City has contacted stakeholders and the community league surrounding the area and given them the opportunity to express their concerns, most of whom support the proposal, adding that the city government does not need to provide any information. sale according to municipal government law.

“The MGA does not require advertising or notice for below market sales when going to a non-profit organization, there was no formal requirement… what I know is that “E4C as an organization has been reaching out to stakeholders in the area to make them aware of this,” said Councilor Anne Stevenson.

The councilor added that no safety risks are imposed on the proposed building, as she believes it will attract more office and administrative workers to the facility.

“Which will only increase foot traffic and the number of people outside, which definitely increases safety,” Stevenson said.

Stevenson added that the nonprofit should develop a public engagement as part of the necessary condition to allow open discussion with surrounding residents as the proposal moves forward.