More safe, warm homes are on the way as a second permanent supportive housing building is opening in Chilliwack to help people experiencing homelessness in the community.
“Everyone deserves stable housing and these new supportive homes will give people experiencing homelessness in Chilliwack the foundation they need to move forward with their lives,” said Bob D’Eith, MLA for Maple Ridge-Mission. “We’re proud to be working with municipalities like Chilliwack to deliver thousands of new supportive homes around the province with supports tailored to the individual needs of residents. These homes offer a new start for people in need and contribute to the well-being of the whole community.”
Located at 45890 Tretheway Ave., the three-storey modular apartment building features 46 units, including two wheelchair-accessible homes on the ground floor. Each unit has a private washroom and mini kitchen. The building includes a commercial kitchen, a common laundry room and a dining lounge area where residents can enjoy meals together.
“We would like to extend our gratitude to the Province for their continued investment in our community,” said Ken Popove, mayor, City of Chilliwack. “The City of Chilliwack has been advocating for supportive housing since the implementation of our 2016 Homelessness Action Plan, and this opening goes to show the power of working as a team. We are grateful that another 46 individuals will have access to safe housing and 24/7 supports this year.”
RainCity Housing and Support Services Society will operate the building and provide residents with meal programs, life and employment skills training, health and wellness support services, and opportunities for volunteer work. At least two staff members will be on-site 24/7 to help residents.
“As we continue our work in Chilliwack, we are excited to be able to welcome 46 Chilliwack citizens into their new homes and are pleased to be a part of addressing homelessness in Chilliwack through the provision of safe, supported and affordable housing,” said Catharine Hume, co-executive director, RainCity Housing. “We are looking forward to getting to know the people who will be moving in and building relationships with our neighbours. Since beginning our work in Chilliwack over this past year, we have greatly appreciated the warm welcome from our community partners and look forward to building strong relationships with the Stó:lō communities.”
Residents will start moving into their homes in late November.
Delivering affordable housing is a shared priority between government and the BC Green Party caucus and is part of the Confidence and Supply Agreement.
Quick Facts:
- The Province invested nearly $9 million in capital and construction costs and will provide annual operating funding for the project. This is being funded through the Rapid Response to Homelessness program.
- RainCity Housing and Support Services Society operates several supportive housing buildings funded by the Province, including the other 46-unit modular building on Yale Road that opened in Chilliwack in March.
- Residents will be charged a monthly rate of $375, which is the social assistance shelter allowance provided by the Province to people experiencing homelessness.
- In just over two years, government has built more than 2,000 supportive homes. More than 800 more are underway with a goal of 4,700 over 10 years.
Learn More:
Full reports and a summary of how supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness is substantially improving the quality of life for residents and reducing their use of emergency health services can be found here: https://www.bchousing.org/modular-supportive-housing-resident-outcomes-reports.
Building BC: Rapid Response to Homelessness program: https://www.bchousing.org/projects-partners/Building-BC/RRH-program
A map showing the location of all announced provincially funded housing projects in B.C. is available online: https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC
To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/
To find out more about RainCity Housing and Support Services, visit: www.raincityhousing.org
Two backgrounders follow.