Raffles Days numbered as an Emergency housing option in Prince Rupert

Residents requiring Emergency housing will soon no longer be directed
to Raffles, with plans to include an emergency housing component to the
new Supportive Housing development planned for Park Avenue

The days of those requiring emergency housing in Prince Rupert being sent off to Raffles for accommodation may soon be coming to an end, with the new supportive modular housing project slated for Park Avenue seemingly set to take over that function in the community.

That bit of news was outlined by Mayor Lee Brain on Wednesday evening as part of his Hays 2.0 update at the Lester Centre, the topic of housing was but one item of many on the night.

But as part of the Mayor's review of the state of the affordable and Seniors housing situation in the community he provided an update on the Park Avenue plans, noting that once completed the facility will be the new destination for those in need of emergency housing.

"What is unique about this project is that it is going to have additional beds built into as a shelter so we're going to shut down Raffles as a shelter, get rid of the emergency shelter and then we're going to have one place for folks to be able to go and keep that to that area" -- Mayor Lee Brain on the plan to include emergency shelter in the province's Park Avenue supportive housing project.

The Raffles facility has been a controversial topic for housing advocates in the community, a group that has long been asking for a better option for the homeless in the city.

As we outlined on the blog last week, on Friday the Province outlined its plan for the development of the 36 unit supportive housing project to be located on a lot adjacent to the Transition House Society on Park Avenue.

While that building moves forward through its construction phase and until its completion, the Emergency Winter Shelter that was opened last November on Third Avenue West will remain open through the summer, providing for shelter for those in the community that are homeless and in need.

The North Coast Transition Society is taking on a more prominent role now in the community when it comes to addressing many of the city's emergency and supportive housing needs.

For more items of note related to housing in the Northwest see our archive page here.

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