St. John's housing development making life better for 46 families

An impressive housing project on a former U.S. military base in St. John's is helping make life easier for 46 families, and helping address a serious social issue in the area.

We have a community plan to end homelessness here in St. John's.- Bruce Pearce

"We have a community plan to end homelessness here in St. John's," said Bruce Pearce, acommunity development workerwithEnd Homelessness St. John's.

"The whole idea behind thatwas to fit with the plan in the community, the rebirth of Pleasantville if you like, as a residential neighbourhood andmaking sure thatit's inclusive of everybody who calls community home."

Federal, provincial and municipal governmentsworked together to help housing and homelessness groupsbuild a5,000 square foot building on two acres of surplus federal land.

The land was acquired in 2009throughthe federal government'shomelessness partnering strategy.

The previous owner,Canada LandsCorp., sold the land to the city market value, and ownership was then transferred to the community groups for $1.

There are a total of 46 affordable housing units on the site.The main buildingincludes 36 units, plus anadditional 10 units developed in separate buildings nextdoor.

The lower level of the main buildingincludes a conference room andprovincial learningcentrethat providestraining for peopleproviding services to families, as well as a community coffee shop that gives work to those who need a second chance.

TheNetwork Cafeopened in May and is run by theNewfoundland andLabrador Housing and Homelessness Network.

It gives them a purpose in life, it gives them that motivation to get up and go out and go back to work.- Cyril Tobin

It offersa fairly extensive breakfast and lunchmenu fivedays-a-week but provincialco-ordinatorCyrilTobinsaid it's doing even better things for the seven people who work there.

"It gives them a purpose in life, it gives them that motivation to get up and go out and go back to work ... it creates independence as well as providing a source ofincome the things that we do normally and just take for granted.

"It's an opportunity to provide individuals who face various barriers when entering the work force an opportunity to gain some employment skills and to re-enter on a social basis as well."

The business is doing well and Tobin said it hasbranched out into catering services.

Hehopes this increase in services will enable them to hire more staff.

With more than 10,000 households in St. John'spaying more than 30 per cent oftheirincome on rent,this project is abig step forward in helping eliminate homelessness.

Imagine if that opportunity had never happened ...we wouldn't see 46 families whose lives have changed dramatically.- Bruce Pearce

"It'sactually around us everyday,andthat's true across the province as well, so we need to reduce that to zero," said Pearce.

"When this entire neighbourhood is built there will be about 1,000 units of housing. We just wanted to ensure that some of that is affordable for those who need it most."

Canada Lands Corp.is clearing the 64-acre site in Pleasantvilleand said about 50 per cent of the work is complete meaningthere should be more demolition projects like this continuing through 2016.

Pearce said this endeavour hasbeen so successful they're working to secure more landto build more affordable places to live.

"Imagine if that opportunity had never happened ...we wouldn't see 46 families whose lives have changed dramatically ...and we also have this fabulous social enterprise and training center as well for the community which meets the needs of the local neighbourhood."