It takes a village

Rosalie's Village

Continuing our profiles of projects on the Priority Housing Project List, we’d like to introduce you to Rosalie’s Village.

Rosalie’s Village (a St. Vincent de Paul Society development) will be a 41 unit housing project for female youth with children and older women who are experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness. It will include an infant/toddler daycare with capacity for 37 children, priority given to residents of Rosalie’s Village.

In addition to the residents and daycare facilities, there will be a Social Concern Office. This office will provide space for support required by the tenants of the building and space for the resident support worker and Women’s Day Program.

Goals of the development:

  • Provide safe, affordable housing for older women who are experiencing or at-risk of homelessness.
  • Provide safe, affordable housing for female youth with children so the mother may improve their future by being financially independent and transition into market housing.
  • Provide free qualified childcare to tenant of the building to help them achieve their goals of financial independence.

Project Details:

  • 41 units (20 one bedroom, 20 two bedroom and 1 shelter unit)
  • Rents will range from $550 to $825 per month
  • This is a $12.5 million project. St Vincent de Paul has now successfully reduced their capital grant ask down to $3.3 million, and are in the process of reviewing design to look for additional savings
  • St. Vincent de Paul aims to have the property subdivided by March 2014, which will put the project in a position to go forward with construction drawings if there are any federal/provincial funding announcements at the end of March that this project would be eligible for

Why is affordable and supportive housing important? It’s estimated the region needs at least 250 supportive housing units and 1,500 affordable/low-market units. For more information about the scope of the challenge: Housing & Homelessness in Greater Victoria

About the Priority Housing Project List
The Priority Housing Project List (PHPL) contains housing projects that act as priorities for the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness. As of August 2013, the PHPL contained approximately 326 supportive and 108 affordable housing units and 90 rental supplements.

Rosalie’s Village was admitted to the Coalition’s PHPL in July 2012.

Also see our posts on other PHPL developments: