As part of the city’s Compassionate Community plan to provide services and housing for marginalized residents, a ground-breaking ceremony was held Wednesday at 16 Queen Street.
It will be the site of a 45-unit supportive housing project being developed in partnership with Indwell. It is Phase 2 of the social services and housing campus in the city’s west end.
Indwell CEO Jeff Neven said it’s an example of values in action.
In January of this year, the city signed a memorandum of understanding with Indwell Community Homes to develop supportive housing projects.
Indwell is a Christian-based charity that has built supportive housing for more than 700 individuals in London, Woodstock, Simcoe and Hamilton.
The first joint effort with the city is construction of the 16 micro-apartments on the second floor of the Talbot Street transit building.
St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston called the undertaking an example of the community’s compassion.
This is one of three undertakings that will see more than 100 affordable housing units in the city over the next two years. This is a local solution to homelessness, stressed Neven.
He added a vital component to ending homelessness is supportive housing along with support programs to allow individuals to transform their lives.
The four-storey structure, which will include a new city fire station, is scheduled to open in the spring of 2023.
