A program that helps house homeless people in Williams Lake will continue thanks to renewed and new funding.
“We received new funding from the Service Canada Homeless Partners Strategy and new matching funds from the Vancouver Foundation,” said Anne Burrill, Community Bridge to Housing First project co-ordinator. “With the pilot project we housed six people who are still housed and are starting new intakes now. We have five new applications that we are reviewing.”
The funding has resulted in hiring Leah Martin as the project’s participant support worker.
Martin has lived in Quesnel since 2011 and worked at the Season House Emergency Shelter and in 2014 had a contract working with the Quesnel Housing First Program.
She assisted the executive director to bring Homeless Prevention Program funding to the community which provides subsidies to house more people.
Housing First in Quesnel has housed 40 people, however Martin said rents are cheaper there with the average bachelor suite $450 and a one bedroom is $550.
Martin also spent seven years working in harm reduction in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside with the Portland Hotel Society and at the Insite Injection site.
“The Portland Hotel Society is known for pushing the Housing First model for hardest to house people with addictions and mental illness,” Martin said.
Moving forward, Burrill said having Martin on board will give the project more ability to provide support and continue to work with other agencies in the community.
They aim to hopefully house another 15 to 20 people over the year.
In her capacity as the participant support worker, Martin will work one-on-one to provide individualized support.
“It is about breaking down barriers,” Martin said. “Our goal is always to graduate people to independent stability, but the reality is that welfare rates are not going up.”
Presently a single person receives $610 total from social assistance and $375 of that is for rent and utilities, Burrill said, noting the average rent in Williams Lake is $697.
“People on disability get a little bit more,” she said.
Burrill is hoping more landlords will work with the project and said the program provides support to landlords and tenants.
“They can call us anytime and we can help resolve things such as noise. We also arrange for direct payment of rent whenever we can so that gives the landlord a bit more security,” Burrill said. “We had a great parntership with Williams Lake Rental in the pilot.”
Martin is moving with her family to Williams Lake from Quesnel and has accepted an 11 month contract.
Originally from Sudbury, Ont., she studied fashion design in Toronto, moved to Vancouver to pursue working in the film industry, and ended up getting into harm reduction.
Even though it was her first day on the job in Williams Lake Monday, Martin said already she was glad to see how the community works together.
Burrill said most of the people they house are starting from scratch so they are always looking for donations to help them establish themselves in their new home.
Anyone wanting to learn more can contact Burrill at 250-392-1400.