Abbotsford – 2509 Pauline Street

A dark brick hotel with a sign that reads "Red Lion Hotel."

Image courtesy of Google Maps.

The province, through BC Housing, purchased the 30-room Red Lion Inn and Suites located at 2509 Pauline Street and adjoining surface parking lots in June 2021.

Currently, the Red Lion is operating as an Emergency Response Centre with Lookout managing the building. Residents who moved into the Red Lion had been living at the Bakerview Church Emergency Response Centre. This lease expired at the end of June 2021.

BC Housing is committed to following the House Agreement Application process required in the City of Abbotsford.

Lookout Society staff will be on-site 24/7 to make sure residents maintain housing and have access to important supports such as:

  • Showers
  • Wellness checks
  • Referrals to health services
  • BC Housing will apply to rezone the property into a combined shelter and supportive housing building. An application will be submitted to the city and follow the municipal rezoning process

Operator

Lookout Housing and Health Society has over 50 years of experience providing shelter and support services to those at risk or experiencing homelessness, and individuals coping with a wide variety of challenges including poverty, mental illness, and substance use.

Community Engagement

Due to City of Abbotsford bylaw changes, rezoning is now not required for the supportive housing; however, it is still required for the shelter. Through the new Housing Agreement Application process, BC Housing will continue to provide updates to neighbours as stakeholders.

As more information becomes available, information will be posted on this page.

The Red Lion Inn and Suites purchase is part of a long-term plan to address homelessness in the City of Abbotsford. The City and BC Housing continue to work together and with community partners to make sure community needs are being met.

Community Advisory Committee

Lookout is establishing a Community Advisory Committee (CAC). The CAC will consist of Lookout, BC Housing, stakeholders, community partners and community members to keep communication paths open and successfully integrate the new housing into the community.

Peer Program

BC Housing and Lookout are also creating a Peer Program. This team from the Red Lion will provide localized to surrounding area, as well as clean the area around the building.

We welcome questions and comments below in the Q&A or by email to: communityrelations@bchousing.org

Image courtesy of Google Maps.

The province, through BC Housing, purchased the 30-room Red Lion Inn and Suites located at 2509 Pauline Street and adjoining surface parking lots in June 2021.

Currently, the Red Lion is operating as an Emergency Response Centre with Lookout managing the building. Residents who moved into the Red Lion had been living at the Bakerview Church Emergency Response Centre. This lease expired at the end of June 2021.

BC Housing is committed to following the House Agreement Application process required in the City of Abbotsford.

Lookout Society staff will be on-site 24/7 to make sure residents maintain housing and have access to important supports such as:

  • Showers
  • Wellness checks
  • Referrals to health services
  • BC Housing will apply to rezone the property into a combined shelter and supportive housing building. An application will be submitted to the city and follow the municipal rezoning process

Operator

Lookout Housing and Health Society has over 50 years of experience providing shelter and support services to those at risk or experiencing homelessness, and individuals coping with a wide variety of challenges including poverty, mental illness, and substance use.

Community Engagement

Due to City of Abbotsford bylaw changes, rezoning is now not required for the supportive housing; however, it is still required for the shelter. Through the new Housing Agreement Application process, BC Housing will continue to provide updates to neighbours as stakeholders.

As more information becomes available, information will be posted on this page.

The Red Lion Inn and Suites purchase is part of a long-term plan to address homelessness in the City of Abbotsford. The City and BC Housing continue to work together and with community partners to make sure community needs are being met.

Community Advisory Committee

Lookout is establishing a Community Advisory Committee (CAC). The CAC will consist of Lookout, BC Housing, stakeholders, community partners and community members to keep communication paths open and successfully integrate the new housing into the community.

Peer Program

BC Housing and Lookout are also creating a Peer Program. This team from the Red Lion will provide localized to surrounding area, as well as clean the area around the building.

We welcome questions and comments below in the Q&A or by email to: communityrelations@bchousing.org

Comments or questions? Please add below.

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  • I am too scared to live in the unit we purchased at Upper Montrose. Everyday. Every.single.day. we find people sleeping/ using drugs/ discarding needles/ breaking in/ damaging property INSIDE and outside the building. I have 2 young kids and I can not be chased/ threatened or hide in my car waiting for people to move on or fall asleep so I can enter the building anymore. We have moved into my moms basement and out of the building. I am not sure what my question is… I guess just really sad about the situation some folks are in and happy your here to help but at the same time my family is entitled to a safe home also. What measures do you have in place to help people who can’t get a room to find other housing or relocate? Also any advice on what we can do to help individuals find help or relocate would be appreciated. The residents in our building are getting very frustrated and the police have stopped showing up to non emergency calls or even calling us back.

    UM resident asked over 2 years ago

    Thank you for contacting BC Housing and sharing your personal situation with us. We take these concerns very seriously and we recognize that this is a tough situation to be in. We have passed your concerns along to the Lookout Society. Please, rest assured that safety of our residents and neighbors is our priority.

    BCH is actively working with the City of Abbotsford to plan for additional shelter capacity and supportive housing capacity in the City to house those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.  

    The experienced building operator (Lookout Society) has an outreach team that connects with unsheltered individuals to connect them with services and provide supports. Furthermore, Lookout Society staff at the Red Lion also connects with individuals experiencing homelessness that they come across in the immediate vicinity of the building.  

    The Province is working to address the ongoing housing crisis and COVID-19 pandemic; this led us to purchasing the Red Lion in order to keep those Abbotsford community members at risk of experiencing homelessness, safe. This site was chosen because of the increasing demand for shelter and homes with supports and is project is a partnership with Fraser Health Authority and is a response to COVID-19 to keep the community safer. 

    If you see a crime in progress, about to be committed or if there is a safety risk, we would encourage you to call 911. If you see a crime that has already taken place, or you see stolen items, we would encourage you to call the non-emergency police number: 604-859-5225.

  • No question, just kudos to you all. Thank you for what you are doing to help people in difficult situations!

    Moreen asked almost 3 years ago

    Thank you, Moreen, for the kind and supportive words. 

    Going forward, if the Red Lion is successfully rezoned to supportive housing, BC Housing would set up a community advisory committee (CAC) that would oversee the supportive housing’s integration within the community and would address any concerns raised by people in the neighbourhood.  

    CACs are a key part of how we ensure that supportive housing buildings integrate well into their neighbourhoods, and our experience is that they have been highly effective at helping communities work together to address concerns and endure a positive connection with neighbours. 

    If you would be interested in hearing more about the CAC please let us know via email: communityrelations@bchousing.org 

  • I sure hope your going to close the liquor store that is on the above premises Pauline street Abbotsford before anyone moves in Doesn’t look very good when your trying to help people that may have a addiction to alcohol and there’s a liquor store below them

    Clarke asked almost 3 years ago

    The Liquor Store has a three-year lease with no option to renew. 

    Given the impact of COVID-19 on businesses, this three-year window will give the business time to find an alternative location.  

  • What is the city and the province going to do maintain a safe and low crime environment around the shelter for residential and commercial neighbours, given the impacts to the Clearbrook corridor that was seen with the temporary Bakerview project? What will they do to maintain investment, business, and redevelopment in the area? How do we ensure that funding that has already gone into the surrounding areas doesn’t go into loss and disrepair/discontinued public use by target populations (Jubilee Park, for example)? How do we ensure that this project doesn’t detract from assets and investments, and most of all business? How will this function to minimize negative impacts on downtown small business, and ultimately, city and provincial profits from the movie industry that is attached to the downtown core remaining in tact?

    Bar asked almost 3 years ago

    BC Housing is committed to being good neighbours. All new supportive housing that we develop across the province provides a safe community both inside and outside the building. The most important safety feature, both for residents and the community, is staffing. The building would have staff onsite 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to ensure that residents are supported and that any concerns are addressed in the timely manner.    

    We all want safe neighbourhoods. The safety of residents, staff and the surrounding community is a priority. This property will have safety measures in place that would include well-lit and fenced grounds, extensive camera monitoring and a controlled single point of entry. Just like any other residence, if there are concerns with specific individuals coming on property or loitering around the property, the operators will work with City bylaw and police around potential solutions.  If neighbours have concerns, they can contact the Lookout Society or BC Housing. 

    Going forward if the Red Lion is successfully rezoned to supportive housing BC Housing would set up a community advisory committee (CAC) that would oversee the supportive housing’s integration within the community and would address any concerns raised by people in the neighbourhood.  

    CACs are a key part of how we ensure that supportive housing buildings integrate well into their neighbourhoods, and our experience is that they have been highly effective at helping communities work together to address concerns and endure a positive connection with neighbours.  

    Regarding property values, research completed in 2019 of 13 B.C. supportive housing sites showed that property values immediately surrounding 10 sites either kept pace or surpassed surrounding municipal trends. Property values for the other three sites were not notably different compared to municipal trends. 

Page last updated: 13 Sep 2022, 12:49 PM