Great Things Happen When Our Community Comes Together
The 32-unit complex is the third and latest venture of Bob Cottrell of All-Together Housing and Phil Spry of Springale Development, and is the result of a wonderful collaboration with organizations such as the Enrichment Centre for Mental Health, Community Visions and Networking Quinte (CVNQuinte) and other housing and support-oriented organizations under the Quinte Community and Housing First Partnership model.
The Quinte Community and Housing First Partnership is led by All-Together Housing and leverages the strengths of different companies and agencies to offer a new, innovative way of building affordable housing. The goal of the housing model is to create safe, accessible and affordable units, and to provide ongoing support to the vulnerable populations that call these units home. The organization accesses funds from a number of sources including United Way Hastings & Prince Edward, Ontario Trillium Foundation and the City of Belleville under the Social Infrastructure Fund.
The Great St. James Street project contains a mix of affordable and market-rate rental apartments which not only ensures long-term sustainability of the project, but creates a diverse and inclusive living environment for tenants.
There are 16 affordable units total in the building. The units are primarily studio/one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, with three additional three-bedroom units that are used by the Enrichment Centre for Mental Health as part of their transitional housing program.
“We are so grateful to have been included in this project from the outset,” said Enrichment Centre for Mental Health Executive Director Sandie Sidsworth. “Our goal with these units is to provide individuals who may be moving from a situation where they were dealing with homelessness, addictions or mental health challenges, with a more permanent residence where they can re-learn how to cohabitate and live independently again. Being able to provide them with a safe, accessible place to transition back into society is so important. With these fully-accessible units, we are able to focus our funds on things other than upgrading and retrofitting our spaces to meet tenants’ needs – this model has allowed us to put more money directly to supporting our clients and that makes all the difference.”
Four of the affordable units are used by Community Visions and Networking Quinte to support individuals who are developmentally challenged, Deaf, hard of hearing or may have a communication difficulty who require assistance to live interdependently. These units will have a staff person on-hand for additional support.
“Our goal at CVNQuinte is to empower people with developmental disabilities,” said CVNQuinte Executive Director Terri Korkush. “All-Together Housing and Springale Development have truly gone above and beyond when it comes to the accessibility of this project. Not only does this give the people we support a safe and affordable space to live, it contributes to a wonderful and inclusive community. We are very pleased to be a part of this project and look forward to what the future holds for the individuals living here.”
The remaining affordable units have been filled by partner agencies to support tenants who may need additional assistance with wholly independent living. The 16 market-rent units were then filled on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition to the housing units, the building also contains an office space for use by partner agencies, a shared community hub with kitchen for cooking classes or tenant-run café, and an outdoor patio area.
Funding for the project has come principally from the federal and provincial governments with a sizeable donation from the local Parrott Foundation. For more information on the Great St. James Street project and other Quinte Community and Housing First Partnership initiatives, visit: https://www.alltogetherhousing.ca/