A North Battleford rooming house project was presented to the public Tuesday.
The facility, located west of Valleyview Towers, will be able to house up to eight people “with supervision and supports they require to help break the cycle of homelessness,” according to a news release.
“Providing safe, affordable and sustainable housing as a crucial first step in addressing homelessness is the kind of transformative thinking required,” Bater said in a news release.
Funding comes from various levels of government.
According to a release, the City of North Battleford provided $108,000 to the project for the land and the cost of site servicing.
The governments of Canada and Saskatchewan contributed a total $580,000 toward the project.
Federal funding is part of a larger 10-year, $55 billion plan called the National Housing Strategy, which seeks to create 100,000 new housing units, among others goals.
Jackie Kennedy of the Battlefords Indian Métis Friendship Centre said the house has been named “Haven-4-Eight.”
Kennedy said a number of people are interested in living in the house and breaking out of homelessness.
“We're hoping everybody we take in is long term,” Kennedy said, adding the house could also accommodate palliative care.
Referrals come from The Lighthouse and social services, Kennedy said.
A number of cameras are installed in the house.
Initially the project faced local opposition. City council approved the house’s discretionary use application in March 2018.
