First Place Program Partnership with City of Edmonton Case Study
Transforming housing
By converting surplus school lands into starter-level townhouse developments, the First Place Program makes homeownership accessible for first-time buyers through a five-year land cost deferral model. Rohit Group, through its divisions Rohit Homes and Rohit Communities, played a foundational role in its successful execution—delivering 489 homes across multiple sites.
Challenge
The City of Edmonton faced a confluence of pressures that made the delivery of affordable, accessible housing in mature neighborhoods both necessary and complex. Demographic shifts led to declining school enrollments and aging populations in these communities, creating gaps in neighborhood vitality and putting long-term urban sustainability at risk. Simultaneously, a housing affordability crisis, driven by rising land and construction costs, high interest rates, and limited entry-level product, pushed many first-time buyers out of the market or out of established communities altogether.
“First Place proved what's possible when public and private sectors align. Rohit Infrastructure was shaped to keep that momentum; helping governments deliver smarter, more community-focused outcomes.”
— Russell Dauk, Rohit Infrastructure
Rohit's strategic contribution
Technical expertise, product quality, and real-time design adaptability
Rohit Homes brought an integrated, high-caliber approach to the First Place Program, drawing on deep experience in multifamily construction, urban design, and municipal planning.
Community engagement excellence
The City and Rohit co-developed a participatory consultation structure designed to go beyond basic information sessions. This included forming volunteer-based community working groups that met regularly with planners, architects, and engineers to co-develop site-specific plans.
Financial innovation for buyers
By eliminating the upfront land cost for the first five years — ranging between $30,000 to $50,000 per unit — the program substantially reduced the total price of a new home.
Public value through economic resilience
The consistent flow of development across multiple sites enabled ongoing work for trades and suppliers, fostering steady employment and reducing some of the cyclical volatility common in the construction industry.
By uniting technical excellence, authentic community consultation, and an innovative financial model, we proved that affordable housing can be both resilient and community-driven—download the full case study to see more.
Key outcomes
Affordability and accessibility
- Lowered barriers to entry by deferring land costs, significantly reducing mortgage amounts and monthly payments for first-time buyers.
- Enabled buyers to build equity early, offering a path toward long-term financial security and upward mobility.
Urban revitalization
- Brought renewed energy and demographic diversity to mature neighborhoods experiencing population decline.
- Promoted more efficient land use through infill development, reducing urban sprawl and leveraging existing infrastructure.
- Positioned affordable homes near transit, schools, and amenities, supporting complete and connected communities.
Community trust and satisfaction
- Elevated community voice through structured, transparent consultation processes tailored to each neighborhood.
- Incorporated resident feedback into site planning and design, strengthening neighborhood support and cohesion.
Durable partnership model
- Demonstrated the potential of long-term, values-aligned public-private collaboration in tackling complex housing challenges.
- Informed Rohit Infrastructure’s continued approach to municipal partnerships, grounded in responsiveness, transparency, and alignment with civic objectives.
Rohit Alliance Model in action
Building home ownership
Hear from Russell Dauk, Executive Vice President of Income Producing Properties, and Adil Kodian, Executive Vice President of Rohit Homes, as they share how we partnered with the City of Edmonton to transform an idea into a successful private-public initiative tackling affordable housing.
Program success and expansion
Rohit Group delivered 489 homes across eight community sites as part of the First Place Program: Greenview (43), Casselman (49), Tawa (39), Belle Rive (88), Bulyea Heights (76), Haddow (38), Larkspur (66), and Michaels Park (90). Each project was uniquely tailored to its surrounding neighborhood, balancing design sensitivity, public feedback, and site-specific conditions.
The experience gained through this program continues to inform Rohit Infrastructure’s approach to working with municipalities, demonstrating how long-term, trust-based partnerships can create repeatable frameworks for addressing complex public challenges through practical, community-focused solutions.
Conclusion
The First Place Program was more than a housing policy—it was a blueprint for responsible, responsive, and replicable urban development. Rohit’s contributions reflect the power of partnership, innovation, and community-led planning. Rohit Infrastructure now carries this legacy forward, committed to helping governments build housing solutions that are financially sound, socially inclusive, and publicly trusted.
