**** COMMUNITY SERVICES Release
Funding to Create Community Housing Proposal for Women
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The province is providing $100,000 to develop a proposal for a community-based, permanent housing project for up to 100 women and children.
The YWCA, Alice House, Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland Nova Scotia and the Marguerite Centre will work together on a plan for the Home for Good Centre. The vision is to create a community hub with a mix of housing options for women and families. The plan would include supported housing, affordable housing, multipurpose spaces for community use and office space for service providers.
“We are focused on creating permanent supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness or living in precarious housing,” said Kelly Regan, Minister of Community Services. “Having safe, affordable housing that supports mothers and their children will have a lasting impact on their lives and their ability to succeed.”
The investment will fund a project co-ordinator to oversee the proposal, including site selection, preliminary design and the creation of a multi-year fundraising plan. The proposal is inspired by similar projects in Vancouver and Regina and will be completed by April 2022.
Quotes:
“In addition to substantially increasing affordable housing stock for diverse women and their families in Halifax, the Home for Good Centre hopes to address current gaps in service provision to those who experience precarious housing by centralizing relevant support services and building community connections.”
– Miia Suokonautio, executive director, YWCA Halifax
Quick Facts:
— as of May 11, there were 199 women and 31 families on the Halifax By-Name List
— the list, maintained by the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia, includes information on people experiencing homelessness and their specific needs
— since last June, the provincially funded housing locator in Halifax accessed more than 160 units to support families and individuals experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness
— in the Halifax region over the past six months, 40 fewer individuals (net) identified as homeless and 102 individuals were housed
