Karen O’Shannacery had the biggest smile on her face as she spoke.
“It’s a milestone,” said O’Shannacery, the president of the Society to End Homelessness in Burnaby.
She stood in front of a new three-storey modular building at 3986 Norland Ave. on Friday that will offer supportive housing for 52 people who are homeless.
The $10-million project’s units each have a private washroom and mini kitchen. Six of the units are wheelchair accessible. The building includes a commercial kitchen and a dining lounge area where residents can enjoy meals together, as well as a common laundry room.
Progressive Housing Society will operate the building and provide residents with health and wellness support services and meal programs, as well as life and employment skills training. By providing housing along with these wraparound services, supportive housing helps improve residents' quality of life and reduces their use of health and social services in the long term, O’Shannacery said.
“These are the building blocks that give people a chance at a fresh start,” she said.
The Province of B.C. paid the $10.1 million in capital and construction costs and will provide annual operating funding for the project, which is being funded through the Rapid Response to Homelessness program.
The City of Burnaby provided a $250,000 grant from its Housing Fund to cover the servicing costs for the site. The city also leased the land to BC Housing at a nominal rate.
Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley said the project is just the beginning in plans to reduce the number of homeless in the community, estimated at 350 to 400.
“For too long people have been literally left out in the cold,” Hurley said. “For the community, it is a signal that the City of Burnaby is committed to public safety and ensuring there is a place here for everyone."
Residents will be charged a monthly rate of $375, which is the social assistance shelter allowance provided by the province to people experiencing homelessness.
"This new supportive housing will give people the foundation they need to move forward with their lives," said Janet Routledge, MLA for Burnaby North. "Everyone deserves that opportunity, and that is why we are working with municipalities, such as Burnaby, to deliver thousands of new supportive homes with 24/7 support for residents. These homes will provide dignity and hope for the people who will call this place home and will support the well-being of the whole community."
