Storeys Project Partnership consisting of Coast Mental Health, Pathways Clubhouse, SUCCESS, Tikva Housing & Turning Point Recovery Society is recognized.
The Storeys Project Partnership collaborated on an innovative housing project, which is now being used as a model for other communities to follow.
The five organizations in the group, all of which rely heavily on volunteer support, saw a need in our community for accessible, sustainable, affordable housing. And so, between 2009 and 2017, they worked together to design and construct a new building in the heart of Richmond – a place where our city’s most vulnerable residents could call home.
The 129-unit development was funded by the City of Richmond, CMHC, the Federal and Provincial Governments, and each of the five partner organizations, without a private developer.
Among the tenants are those at risk of homelessness, people in advanced recovery from substance use, individuals facing mental health challenges, and seniors from a wide range of cultural backgrounds.
In addition to rental units, the building provides critical support services, programming, and administrative space to further support tenants in achieving housing stability and life skills.
Despite being less than a year old, the project has already created a lasting legacy. It’s helped to reduce homelessness, and led to increased interconnectedness among service providers, so they’re better able to support people across a wide spectrum of needs.
The project represents a true local success story: a model, conceived in Richmond, of affordable housing for mixed populations of individuals and families in need. The project was rightfully highlighted at the 2017 Housing Central Conference, and the model will no doubt be implemented in other communities across Canada.
Housing remains a difficult issue, but this project shows that it can be solved through collegiality, cooperation, and a shared sense of compassion for our neighbours in need.
Reposted from www.rcrg.org/VAS
