A proposed affordable housing project consisting of up to 75 homes in east Saint John has passed a significant hurdle.
Council gave its final approval for the Sunnyside Tiny Home Community during its regular meeting on Monday night.
The project is a partnership between local business leaders, Saint John Energy, United Way Maritimes and Fredericton’s 12 Neighbours community.
Sue LaPierre, senior executive director of affordable housing for United Way Maritimes, said it is a critical project to help address homelessness.
“Up to 75 units is not going to solve the problem, but it is going to make a difference for the many people who will be able to live in the tiny homes,” LaPierre told our newsroom.
“We believe that everybody has a contribution to make, and this is one contribution we can make to reducing homelessness in the Saint John area.”
Some concerns from community
The community will be located on land between Westmorland Road and Rothesay Avenue, not far from the Fernhill Cemetery and East Point Shopping.
Several residents and nearby businesses raised concerns about the project during public hearing before council and the planning advisory committee.
Most of those who spoke at the hearings said they are not against a project like this, but felt this particular location is not well-suited for it.
LaPierre said while the project has had a lot of support, they have been grateful to hear from community members who have questions and concerns.
“It’s important for us to understand those, so we try to be very proactive in reaching out to the community to hear from them and understand what their questions and concerns are and dialogue with them about those concerns,” she said.
“We are very interested that the Sunnyside community fit in to the community and blend with the community and be welcomed by the community and by understanding what the questions and concerns are of residents surrounding the area, then we can help address them directly.”
Alexya Heelis, the senior executive director of central and southwestern New Brunswick for United Way Maritimes, previously told council that the community will only be accepting individuals who are deemed to have low or moderate service needs.
All residents must be able to live independently in their home and participate in a wide range of wraparound supports that are offered, she added.
“Somebody with a very complex mental health issue or that has an uncontrolled addiction that’s not able to function on their own without full support, so somebody that would need more one-on-one care at all times, would not be the right fit for this community,” said Heelis.
“This will be a well-managed community, that is our plan. It’s not a shelter, it’s not a tent encampment, but it is permanent supportive housing.
“We will have 24/7 access to supports for the individuals that are on site. That’ll include all of the appropriate security measures like lighting and fencing and policies that are designed to keep not only the residents safe but also the neighbours and local businesses as well.”
What happens now?
While the project has now been formally approved by city council, LaPierre said there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, such as fundraising efforts.
The project is expected to cost around $10 million, with United Way Maritimes planning to reach out for assistance from various levels of government and launch a fundraising campaign.
“We need to finalize the land purchase and we need to begin the site preparation. We need to find a builder of the units and we have already engaged in RFP process for that,” said LaPierre.
“We also need to launch RFP to find wraparound supports for this community. Because the Sunnyside community will be a supported housing community, we need to find a wraparound support service provider to partner with us to make this a healthy, happy community for everybody who resides there.”
LaPierre said while it is too soon to say when exactly the project will be completed, their aim is to start getting people housed before next winter.
