Photo credit: letstalkhousingbc
NANAIMO – BC Housing is leasing 78 units at the Travellers Lodge, a vacant former care facility at 1298 Nelson St., to help provide safe and secure housing for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The building has self-contained studio units with private bathrooms, as well as common amenity spaces and gardens. Residents are expected to move in by early 2025.
A non-profit operator has yet to be selected to operate the site and provide staffing around the clock. Residents will pay the provincial shelter rate of $500 per month for rent, which will include two meals a day and laundry services. Residents will have access to life-skills training, employment assistance and counselling, as well as physical- and mental-health resources.
Each unit in the building will have a locking door, bed, attached washroom and place to store personal belongings. The building also has shared amenity spaces and gardens for residents to gather. The new units will be allocated to people currently in shelters. The individuals prioritized for this housing will be adults older than 19, including those who have expressed a desire to minimize exposure to alcohol and substance use.
“Providing safe and secure housing for our community members who need it most continues to be one of city council’s top priorities,” said Leonard Krog, mayor of Nanaimo. “These new supportive homes at Travellers Lodge will offer stability and a sense of belonging, helping residents to thrive.”
This is the fourth project to be announced since the Province and the City of Nanaimo signed a Homeless Encampment Action Response Teams (HEART) and Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing (HEARTH) memorandum of understanding (MOU) in January 2024. This MOU includes the development of new shelter and housing options through BC Housing’s HEARTH program and providing increased support to people living in encampments through the HEART program.
Business Examiner Staff