NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release 2009HSD0017-000163 July 28, 2009

Ministry of Housing and Social Development

 

$21.6M DEVELOPMENT CREATES JOBS AND SUPPORTIVE HOUSING

 

VANCOUVER – Today saw the groundbreaking of the $21.6-million supportive housing development on Station Street, which will provide people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness with 80 new studio apartments, announced Housing and Social Development Minister Rich Coleman. It is the first of 14 developments being built under a partnership between the Province and City of Vancouver.

 

            “The Province is providing a range of housing options across British Columbia, including access to stable, long-term housing with support services,” said Coleman. “This new development on Station Street will play a significant role in building a stronger community by creating jobs and providing a safe, supportive place for people to live.”

 

Located at 1005 Station St., this is the first of 14 supportive housing developments on city-owned sites to break ground. The B.C. government is providing a provincial infrastructure grant of $16.7 million, which will help to create more than 222 direct and indirect jobs. The City of Vancouver is contributing $4.9 million to the project through a combination of land, development waivers and a commercial retail space reimbursement. Through this partnership, the building will be owned by the Provincial Rental Housing Corporation (PRHC) on land leased from the City on a 60-year term.

 

“The City of Vancouver has worked in partnership with the Province to expedite the approval process to get these new developments built as quickly as possible,” said Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson. “Providing safe and stable housing is a major goal for the City of Vancouver, and this new supportive housing development will help us meet that.”

 

The City is leasing the development to the Province for 60 years and will charge a nominal fee for rent. In addition, the development is eligible for property tax exemptions as long as it provides subsidized and supportive housing. Station Street has been designed to be greenhouse gas-neutral and to achieve LEED Gold certification.

 

Managed and operated by PHS Community Services Society (PHS), Station Street will provide 80 studio apartments with integrated support services. In addition to housing, PHS will provide services and advocacy through numerous projects for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in the community.

 

“We are excited and grateful to see this project come to fruition and look forward to seeing these 80 units built. For the homeless residents moving in, having a self-contained unit with a bathroom and kitchenette represents an exciting place from which they can begin to slowly rebuild their lives," said Liz Evans, executive director and founder of PHS.

 

            Increasing affordable housing, reducing homelessness and helping B.C.’s most vulnerable citizens is a key priority for the Province of British Columbia. Under the Provincial Homelessness Initiative, the Province has committed to creating more than 4,000 new housing units. In 2009/10, the Province’s budget for shelters and affordable housing is over $469 million – more than four times what it was in 2001.

 

            ‘Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness’ is a website providing a comprehensive and detailed look at provincial programs and services to address homelessness. Visit www.bchousing.org/breakingthecycle for more information.

 

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BACKGROUNDER

 

STATION STREET

PHS Community Services Society’s Station Street, at 1005 Station St. in Vancouver, will provide 80 self-contained studio apartments with integrated support services for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

 

The development is a six-storey building located between National and Prior streets. The ground floor will include a commercial/retail area fronting Main Street and there will be one level of underground parking.

 

Partners and Funding:

The total capital cost of this development is $21.6 million.

·        The Province is providing a Provincial Infrastructure Grant of $16.7 million; and

·        The City of Vancouver is providing $4.9 million, including a 60-year lease for the land, valued at $2.3 million, and a sublease for the commercial space.

 

PHS COMMUNITY SERVICES SOCIETY

PHS Community Services Society (PHS), a non-profit association created in 1993, manages buildings that provide social housing and support, focusing on people with chronic substance abuse issues or dual diagnosis. The society helps promote, develop and maintain supportive affordable housing for adult individuals who are hard to house and at risk of homelessness due to their physical and/or mental health, behaviour, substance dependencies, and forensic history.

 

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Media Contact:	Patricia Lusic BC Housing 604 314-1458

For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.