$13.7-MILLION HOUSING FOR LANGLEY HOMELESS OPENS
LANGLEY A
new $13.7-million development providing 55 beds for homeless people officially
opened in Langley today, thanks to funding from federal, provincial, municipal
and community partners.
The Salvation
Armys Gateway of Hope provides 30 emergency shelter and 25 supportive transitional beds. In
addition to the housing component, the Gateway of Hope will also have a drop-in
meal service and provide support services onsite through The Salvation Army
Community and Family Services programs. The development will meet a variety of
needs for the homeless, as well as others in the community who are at risk.
I applaud the
hard work of The Salvation Army, our partners and the community of Langley for
working together to see Gateway of Hope become a reality, said Rich Coleman,
Minister of Housing and Social Development and Fort Langley-Aldergrove MLA.
The combination of housing and support services at Gateway will bring healing
and stability, and will help transform peoples lives.
The Gateway of
Hope serves as a symbol of our commitment to end homelessness in Langley and across the province, added Mary Polak, Minister of Children and Family
Development and Minister Responsible for Child Care and MLA for Langley. This project has always been more than just about bricks and mortar – its about
providing the opportunity for people to take back their lives, hopes and
dreams.
Our government is supporting many Canadians with housing needs and
is fulfilling our commitment to help those seeking to break free of the cycle
of homelessness and poverty, said Mr. Russ Hiebert, Member of Parliament for
South SurreyWhite RockCloverdale, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. Through this investment, the governing council of The Salvation
Army will be able to help people who are homeless, or at risk of being
homeless, by providing transitional, supportive and long-term housing and
services.
Gateway of Hope
demonstrates the positive outcomes when all levels of government unite with
community partners to help those most in need, said Mayor Peter Fassbender,
City of Langley. This project and the values contained within it will go a
long way towards providing an effective long-term solution to the issues of
homelessness and helping others who are marginalized in our community. We as a
community are committed to working with The Salvation Army and all our partners
to see the goals we have all agreed to being realized as we move forward.
With the opening of this
facility, a great need is being met in our community, one that will greatly
improve the lives of many, added Township of Langley Mayor Rick Green. We are
so grateful for the hard work, dedication and passion that was demonstrated in
the drive to make the Gateway of Hope a reality.
The
Salvation Armys Gateway of Hope will not only provide transition housing and
emergency shelter beds, but also a range of support services to help individuals
regain their independence in the community, said colonel Don Copple of The
Salvation Army. Partnerships between government and
community are the cornerstones that help people most in need build on their strengths and begin to see their own successes.
The development
has been created through the Provincial Homelessness Initiative (PHI), which integrates health and social services with housing to help people move beyond
temporary shelter to more secure housing, greater self-reliance and appropriate
employment. The project also received a one-time Housing Endowment Fund (HEF)
grant.
In 2009-10, B.C.s budget for social housing is approximately
$450 million, more than three times as much as 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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A backgrounder follows.
For more information on government services
or to subscribe to the Provinces news feeds using RSS, visit the Provinces
website at www.gov.bc.ca.
BACKGROUNDER
GATEWAY
OF HOPE
The Salvation Armys Gateway of Hope,
located at 5787 Langley Bypass in Langley, is a three-storey, 2,921-square-metre
(31,441-square-foot) building. The development provides 55 units/beds, as well
as onsite support and drop-in meal services through The Salvation Army
Community and Family Services programs.
The main floor consists of a commercial
kitchen, 115-seat dining room, laundry facilities, multi-purpose room, shelter
office, communal washrooms and 30 shelter beds. The second floor provides 13
resident units for women, office and classroom space, counselling rooms,
medical room and office space for The Salvation Army Langley. The third floor
provides 12 resident units for men.
The site is owned by the City of Langley
under a long-term lease and is close to amenities and other services. The
development was built to target LEED Gold certification. The development opened
its doors to its first clients mid-November 2009.
Partners and Funding:
Capital cost of the development is
approximately $13.7 million.
- The Province
provided a Housing Trust Fund grant of $2.13 million, as well as a $1-million
grant through the Housing Endowment Fund. - The Government of Canada contributed $1.46
million through the Homelessness Partnership Initiative. - The City of Langley contributed $1.48
million to the project through land donation and municipal tax waiver. - The Township of Langley committed $1
million to match funds raised in the capital campaign. - The Salvation Army Society contributed
$665,000. - The remainder was in the form of mortgage
financing through the Province.
Operational funding will be provided by:
- The Province, in an amount of up to $1.2
million annually.
The Salvation Army
Since 1887, The Salvation Army has provided
essential services and compassionate care to millions of people who have faced
poverty, addiction, homelessness, abuse and other serious situations which they
can not manage on their own. The Salvation Army is the largest non-governmental
provider of social services in British Columbia.
The Salvation Armys mandate is to serve
everyone in need, regardless of their race, gender, age, belief, lifestyle,
economic status or physical or mental ability. The Salvation Army has a solid
record of accountability and respectability in local communities and throughout
the world.
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For more information on government services
or to subscribe to the Provinces news feeds using RSS, visit the Provinces
website at www.gov.bc.ca.
