Sixty temporary homes open in Kelowna for people experiencing homelessness
People in Kelowna who are experiencing homelessness now have access to 60 new temporary homes with the opening of Trailside Transitional Housing.
“These modular homes will bring people indoors to a safe place, where they’ll receive meals, life-skills training, care plans and other services that will help prepare them for more permanent housing,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing. “Through our Belonging in BC program, we’re providing people with the support and stability they need to transition out of homelessness and improve the overall health and well-being of their communities.”
Trailside Transitional Housing at 2740 Highway 97 North prioritizes seniors and people living with disabilities, who are mainly living in shelters and ready to move into more independent housing with embedded supports. Fourteen of the 60 modular homes are wheelchair accessible. Each home contains a bed, mini fridge, storage shelving and baseboard heating to supplement a centrally controlled heating and cooling system.
The development also includes washrooms, showers, laundry facilities, a common dining area, recreation space and bike storage, as well as a charging station for electric mobility scooters.
“Trailside fills an important gap in local transitional housing options for seniors and people living with disabilities,” said Tom Dyas, mayor of Kelowna. “Council’s goal is to free up space in shelters with the intention of decreasing the outdoor sheltering area along the Rail Trail and other parts of the city.”
The new homes are operated by Turning Points Collaborative Society with staff on site 24/7. Residents will receive meals, life-skills training and other supports, including individualized care plans and connections to community services. They will also have access to services from Interior Health’s new Integrated Health Outreach Team, such as episodic primary care, wound care, medication support, clinical referrals, and connections to substance-use and mental-health treatment.
People will begin moving into Trailside Transitional Housing in mid-May 2024, freeing up shelter spaces for people living in encampments and others experiencing homelessness in Kelowna.
This is the second 60-unit project in Kelowna created through the Homeless Encampment Action Response Team (HEART) and Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing (HEARTH) programs. It follows the opening of STEP Place at 759 Crowley Ave. in February 2024.
Both projects are temporary housing solutions and will be in place for a minimum of three years. The Province, through BC Housing, continues to work with the City of Kelowna to identify and build new permanent supportive housing to replace these two projects.
The HEART and HEARTH programs are part of Belonging in BC, the Province’s plan to prevent and reduce homelessness. The plan will also add nearly 4,000 new supportive-housing units and 240 complex-care spaces provincewide.
Since 2017, the Province has nearly 78,000 homes that have been delivered or are underway, including more than 8,800 supportive homes for people experiencing homelessness and more than 1,700 homes in Kelowna.
Quotes:
Susan Brown, president and CEO, Interior Health –
“Through this initiative, we’re not just providing medical care, we are creating a path to stability for those in need. This collaboration reflects a dedication to building healthier and more inclusive communities, while cultivating resilience, renewing hope and fostering a sense of belonging across central Okanagan.”
Tara Tschritter, southern Interior regional director, Turning Points Collaborative Society –
“Clients at Trailside can expect an increase in positive health outcomes and reduced dependency on programs and systems. This is a proven model developed through our West Kelowna Rapid Re-Housing program, where we saw 60-plus people a year move into long-term housing.”
Learn More:
To read the MOU between the Province and City of Kelowna, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/BC-MOU_Kelowna_HEART-HEARTH.pdf
For more information about the HEART and HEARTH programs, visit: https://www.bchousing.org/housing-assistance/homelessness-services/HEART-HEARTH
To read the Belonging in BC plan, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/BelongingStrategy.pdf
A backgrounder follows.