A letter critical of a proposed Habitat for Humanity project in St. Albert earlier this month has prompted more than 100 people to make donations to the organization.

"For days, we received a lot of small donations … there were a lot of people who gave us $20, $50," said the president of the Edmonton area Habitat for Humanity, Alfred Nikolai.

The donations came from all over Alberta and other parts of Canada. A number were made in the name of the author of the letter, Chris Perry.

The letter from Perry and his wife Karleena sparked a firestorm of controversy after it was was published in the print and online versions of the St. Albert Gazette on April 3.

The letter outlined Perry's reasons for opposing the 58-unit townhouse complex proposed for the Akinsdale neighbourhood. They included concerns the project would increase drug and gang activity in the city, as well as bring down the value of nearby homes.

Perry has since apologized.

While he appreciates the donations, Nikolai has mixed feelings about the reason why they were made.

"We aren't happy about receiving money because of something this negative," he said. "We're much more happy when we receive money from people that say, 'you know we love what Habitat does and we'd like to support you.'"

The project has faced considerable opposition from a number of St. Albert residents.

In mid-March, residents packed St. Albert city hall for a public hearing on the issue. A facilitator has been hired by the city to hold more public consultations in early May, Nikolai said.