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Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Ministry of Forests and Range and Minister Responsible for Housing |
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NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR SENIORS IN DTES |
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VANCOUVER – Seniors in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES) will benefit from more housing options with the new Katherine Sanford Housing Society development at 475 East Hastings, which celebrated its official opening today.
The new development, called the Smith-Yuen Apartments, is a partnership between several levels of government. It will provide 52 self-contained one-bedroom apartments for seniors with low incomes and serious, persistent mental illnesses. The building was named in honour of the co-chairs of the Katherine Sanford Housing Society at its inception, Nobel laureate Micheal Smith and architect Ronald Yuen.
“Smith-Yuen will provide seniors with mental illness the opportunity to live independently,” said Health Minister George Abbott. “To provide the best system of support in Canada for seniors, we’re increasing seniors’ housing options, doubling annual funding to the Shelter Aid For Elderly Renters program and adding $242 million to the seniors’ supplement, providing financial benefits to 40,000 low-income seniors.”
“This development will allow seniors most in need in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside to live in a quality environment at an affordable cost,” said Nelson Merizzi, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s general manager for the B.C. region. “Shelter is one of the foundations upon which healthy communities and individual dignity are built. We are pleased to work with our partners in British Columbia to provide more seniors with better housing in their community.”
“One in five seniors lives with a serious mental illness, which in turn takes a toll on their physical well-being,” said Linda Thomas, director of housing for Vancouver Coastal Health. “The Smith-Yuen Apartments will provide residents with easy access to home care, meal services and the other supports they need to stay healthy and be an active member of their community.”
“Our citizens all need to feel that they can go home to a place where they feel welcome and safe at the end of the day,” said Larry Campbell, mayor of Vancouver. “The City has worked hard with our partners, the federal and provincial governments, to ensure our most vulnerable citizens have access to housing.”
The
Katherine Sanford Housing Society has a long-standing reputation for property
management and development of community housing for the mentally ill in the
Greater Vancouver region. The new Smith-Yuen Apartments, situated in the
downtown eastside, are one of several housing developments managed by the
society, including several community care homes and a short-term emergency care
facility.
“Several years ago, the Strathcona Mental Health Team identified a group of seniors with a history of mental illness who were living in the downtown eastside in very inadequate accommodation,” said Bonnie Rice, executive director of the Katherine Sanford Housing Society. “Many of the individuals had issues associated with aging which meant they needed some form of supported housing to continue to live independently. These new apartments were designed specifically for this population group. In addition to a range of support services, such as home support provided by the health authority, the building design incorporates many specialized features geared to an aging population.”
Under the Canada British Columbia Affordable Housing Agreement, the Government of Canada, through CMHC, will contribute $130 million by 2008 towards affordable housing in this province. The provincial government, through BC Housing, will provide a minimum of $34 million annually to subsidize the costs of units built under this agreement, as part of a larger strategy to provide a range of housing options for British Columbians in greatest need.
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Communications Co-ordinator BC Housing 604 439-4757 Cell: 604 790-2344
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Senior Issues Management Officer Vancouver Coastal Health 604 708-5282
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Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Cell: 604 341-0970
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Executive Director Katherine Sanford Housing Society 604 732-5105 Ext.14
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Visit the Province's website at www.gov.bc.ca for online information and services. |
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