Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Who is this housing for?
If the Development Application is approved, this building will provide affordable homes for adults who are experiencing homelessness, at risk of homelessness, as well as for residents who may be working and earning very-low incomes.
People who are at risk of or are experiencing homelessness are not all the same. They can be young people, seniors, people with disabilities, and anyone who has experienced trauma, poverty, or struggled with the high cost of housing. Each person requires a unique combination of services and programs to support their health and wellbeing.
All residents in supportive housing make a choice to live there, pay rent, and are able to access the support provided by non-profit housing operators, health care professionals and other community-based programs.
The unit mix in this building will be approximately 50% at the shelter component of income assistance (currently $375/month) and 50% at rents-geared-to-income (RGI) for households earning up to 50% of BC Housing's Housing Income Limits (HILs) (currently max $719/month).
What support services are being offered by the operator to building tenants?
Operations for the supportive housing are actively in discussion between BC Housing and MPA Society. Staff expect that operations planning, including staffing models, will continue from now through to construction. The staffing model would take multiple factors into consideration including support services provided on and off site, the kinds of supports needed, number of residents, layout of building, programming, etc. BC Housing and the operator will work to ensure that staffing meets the needs of residents.
How can residents get in contact with the operator?
Supportive Housing buildings are staffed 24 hours a day and can be reached at any time to discuss items related to the building and provide tenants with services. A publicly available phone number for the building will be available 24/7 for any building or tenant related issues.
After opening, City staff also stay connected to BC Housing and the operator to ensure successful building operations and community integration through the Community Advisory Committee (CAC). The purpose of the CAC is to bring together the operator, BC Housing the City and neighbouring residents to facilitate information sharing, discuss opportunities and collaborate to resolve issues related to the building and build and maintain positive relationships.
Why was this location chosen for social housing?
This project sits on City-owned land, and the B.C. government and CMHC have committed funding towards the development of permanent supportive housing units for people in need in Vancouver. This site is located close to a future SkyTrain station, meeting the Provincial goal of increasing the level of affordable housing near areas of significant investments in transit. The immediate surrounding area lies within the approved Broadway Plan which identifies future building heights of up to 20 storeys.