RICHMOND – Homeless residents (individuals who are homeless) will benefit from a new emergency shelter, providing a relocation and expansion of current services that have been offered in Richmond for the past 20 years. The new shelter, to be located at 12040 Horseshoe Way, is the result of an innovative partnership between the City of Richmond, The Salvation Army, and the Province to deliver much needed shelter spaces in Richmond.

The new emergency shelter will provide safe and secure shelter spaces in a supportive environment for up to 36 of Richmond’s most vulnerable residents and more than triples the number of shelter spaces currently available in the community. Serving as a gateway into housing, the shelter will be physically accessible, minimal barrier in its approach to service delivery and inclusive of men and women. The project site is well located in close proximity to transit with connections to downtown Richmond, and community amenities.

Currently, the Salvation Army operates the only year-round emergency shelter in Richmond (Richmond House). This existing shelter provides spaces for 10 men and turns away approximately 130 visits every month. The current services will be relocated once the new shelter is complete, and Richmond House will close. The Salvation Army has been an excellent neighbour to all residents while providing shelter and supportive programming to Richmond’s homeless population over the past two decades.

An information session for local residents and businesses will be held on Thursday, September 21, 2017 from 3 to7 p.m. at the Richmond Public Library – Ironwood Branch, located at 11688 Steveston Highway.

Project partners and funding:

• The Salvation Army will continue to manage this relocated shelter.
• The City of Richmond is contributing the land at 12040 Horseshoe Way, valued at $6 million.
• The B.C. government is providing the funding for the improvements to the existing structure and towards the emergency shelter operating budget.

Quotes:

Mayor Malcolm Brodie, City of Richmond 
“The City of Richmond has a strong commitment to providing affordable housing to serve all segments of our community and has made major investments to support this goal. Support for the homeless population in Richmond has been identified as a critical need in our Affordable Housing Strategy. We’re pleased to be working with our partners in this innovative and collaboration initiative to increase and enhance shelter and services for the homeless in our community.”

Selina Robinson, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
“The Province recognizes the urgent need to create more safe places for people who need it most. Homelessness continues to be an issue in Richmond. As our government works to develop a homelessness action plan for B.C. partnerships like this will be critical in helping to address the problem.”

Major Kathie Chiu, The Salvation Army
“Homelessness is a pressing social issue for Richmond and it’s on the rise. We turn away people from our shelter every day due to a lack of space. The Salvation Army is privileged to be able to work on the front lines with our partner agencies addressing the situation. Emergency shelters are an important intervention that saves lives, support people in their search for housing and assist people to access the resources they need to achieve housing stability. We look forward to continuing to offer a person-centred, holistic and culturally sensitive service to vulnerable members of our community with trusted partner agencies and are grateful for the support of and partnership with the City of Richmond and BC Housing.”

Quick Facts:

• City of Richmond Council, through its Affordable Housing Strategy, recognizes that a range of housing choices for a diverse population is important for a liveable community.
  • Since 2007, the City has secured commitments to create over 1,500 affordable housing units in Richmond.
  • The City has committed $19.4 million to the Storeys project, which will provide 129 units of affordable rental housing for vulnerable residents including individuals at risk of homelessness, and contributed $24.1 million to the Kiwanis Towers, which provides 296 units of affordable rental housing for low-income seniors.
• The Salvation Army has the primary responsibility of managing the emergency shelter in Richmond and staff connect clients to supportive services to promote success in achieving housing stability.

Learn More:

To learn more about The Salvation Army’s involvement in Richmond, visit: salvationarmyrichmond.org

To learn more about the City of Richmond’s Affordable Housing Strategy and actions on housing affordability, visit: www.richmond.ca/affordablehousing  

To learn more about services and supports for the homeless or those at risk of homelessness, please visit: www.bchousing.org/housing-assistance/homelessness-services

Media Contact:

Ally Skinner
BC Housing
604-456-8895