VICTORIA, Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Access to supportive housing for Victoria’s most vulnerable got a little easier yesterday as the newly-expanded Swift House officially opened its doors.
An important component of the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness’ implementation strategy, Swift House Apartments is a four-storey supportive housing development located at 467 Swift Street in the heart of Victoria’s downtown.
The building is operated by the Victoria Cool Aid Society, with funding provided through BC’s Provincial Homelessness Initiative.
The City of Victoria was also a key contributor to the project. The Swift House units are the third and final project of the MOU signed by the City of Victoria and the Province to address the homelessness issue in Victoria. CitySpaces is proud to have been the development consultant for all three of these important projects.
As City of Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin stated, the official opening marked a significant milestone in the City’s goal of eliminating homelessness in Victoria:
“Ending homelessness in Victoria is one of our top priorities. Through strong partnerships with other levels of government and local non-profit housing operators, we can make a real difference for people in need in our community. With today’s opening of Swift House, we are one step closer to achieving this goal.”
The new units average 410 sf in size, and will provide permanent housing for people who have been homeless. Despite the challenge of renovating the building while portions of it continued to be occupied, the project came in on time, and under budget. The renovation included the addition of laundry, office and administrative spaces to the first and second floors, and social/gathering space on the lower floor.
