Central Saanich - 1909 Prosser Road

Thank you for your email. As you will know there is an urgent need to house people experiencing homelessness in Victoria. Point-in-time homeless counts in 2020 found there are over 1,500 people experiencing homelessness in the city.  

These 39 new permanent homes with support services are for people who are marginalized and experiencing homelessness in Central Saanich—people who are already in the community. As such, the population demographic isn’t changing. People are simply going to be housed, rather than homeless.

Sites for supportive housing are selected based on various criteria. BC Housing looks to acquire property based on community need and where there is an urgent need for more housing. Housing for people experiencing homelessness needs to meet people where they are, providing connection to the resources that people need to work towards living a healthy, stable life.

It takes a community to tackle complex issues like homelessness. A Community Advisory Committee will be established with representatives from Island Health, the non-profit housing operator, local businesses and schools, and community members at large, to proactively address any concerns regarding operations. 

The non-profit operator will staff the residence 24/7 and will also be responsible for property maintenance and cleanliness - including regular sweeps for litter. Residents will also be expected to help maintain the property. A telephone number will be made available when the site is established. 

These 39 supportive homes will provide self-contained studio, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom apartments with the necessary supports for people at risk of homelessness. 

BC Housing will collaborate with local service providers on a thoughtful and thorough assessment process to ensure an appropriate mix of residents with the right supports move into the building on Prosser Road. Every potential resident will be considered on an individual basis to ensure that the housing and services provided by the program match the support services that they need, such as life skills training, employment assistance, and help with accessing a range of social and health care services.

We are still determining the design of the property, including parking. Estimated completion of this building is late 2021/ early 2022. 

This is not a homeless shelter. While shelter’s play an important role in communities, this property will see the development of 39 new purpose-built homes with supports. There are many differences. We have been working closely with the Capital Regional District on the plans for this property, and they have identified an urgent need for more homes with supports in this region. Priority will be given to people at risk of homelessness in the Central Saanich region who need minimal supports and are ready to move to living independently. Many of the people who will move into the Prosser residence have been living successfully in the temporary shelters and hotel rooms in the region.

People experiencing homelessness are already a part of the community; they may be seniors, or people with disabilities, or people with employment but no housing. We want to help these people find safe and stable housing in the community and bring people inside from the streets.  

To get a better sense of what supportive housing looks like, check out these videos of Orca Place and Camas Gardens. 

BC Housing sent a letter to residents in the neighbourhood on March 24, 2021, to let them know BC Housing is working with the Capital Region District to build approximately 39 new homes for people at risk of homelessness at 1909 Prosser Road. The Let’s Talk site was also made live that day.

1909 Prosser was successfully rezoned in 2018 to designate the lands multi-family residential and included a Land Use Bylaw amendment to rezone the land from the A-1 Agriculture zone to a multi-family residential zone (RM-5).

People experiencing homelessness are already a part of the community; they may be seniors, or people with disabilities, or people with employment but no housing. We want to help these people find safe and stable housing in the community and bring people inside from the streets.  

An operator for this site has not yet been chosen. However, BC Housing and our non-profit housing operators are committed to being good neighbours. Tenants will sign program agreements, and 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. 

Many of the people who will move into this residence have been living successfully in the temporary shelters and hotel rooms. There will be staff on-site 24 hours a day to provide important supports such as life skill training, wellness checks and other health and skill development programs. Applicants will go through an assessment process to make sure there is a mix of residents with the right supports. Every potential resident is considered on an individual basis to ensure that the housing and services provided by the program match the support services that they need, such as life skills training, employment assistance, and help with accessing a range of social and health care services. 

Meetings held by BC Housing’s coordinated access table (including Outreach services, Housing, Central Saanich Police Service, and Island Health) assess applicants for suitability. Suitability considers vulnerability in the community, neighbourhood considerations, accessibility to services, the housing operators’ experience and mandates—all in the interest of creating a balanced mix tenancy that will support successful operation and tenancies.   

BC Housing’s supportive housing buildings are operated based on the widely recognized and proven Housing First model. 

The housing operator will ensure that all staff have the appropriate training and skills necessary to support the clients. The required training, as required by BC Housing, includes, but is not limited to crisis prevention training; first Aid/CPR; mental health first aid training; domestic violence and safety planning; substance use awareness and safety training; and trauma-informed training.

The operator staff will be supported by health professionals (e.g. nurses, counsellors and outreach workers) from Island Health who will conduct regular visits. 

The supportive housing model is unique in that all residents in supportive housing have made a choice to live there and are able to access the services provided by non-profit housing operators, such as life-skills training, and connections to primary health care, mental health and/or harm reduction services, and employment and life-skills programming. 

Additional supports are also available, such as daily meals, outreach workers, wellness checks, life and employment skills training, opportunities for volunteer work, connection and referral to community services and support groups. 

Hi Teresa

Thank you for your message. We agree that understanding the supportive housing model is an important part of helping the community welcome their neighbours. 

The supportive housing model is unique in that all residents in supportive housing have made a choice to live there and are able to access the services provided by non-profit housing operators, such as life-skills training, and connections to primary health care, mental health and/or harm reduction services, and employment and life-skills programming. 

Additional supports are also available, such as daily meals, outreach workers, wellness checks, life and employment skills training, opportunities for volunteer work, connection and referral to community services and support groups. 

The operator will be able to assist residents who require medical assistance, either through on-site supports or off-site appointments. We are working with Island Health to ensure appropriate health services for residents. 

BC Housing will collaborate with local service providers on a thoughtful and thorough assessment process to ensure an appropriate mix of residents with the right supports move into the building on Prosser Road. Every potential resident will be considered on an individual basis to ensure that the housing and services provided by the program match the support services that they need, such as life skills training, employment assistance, and help with accessing a range of social and health care services.

Offers of housing are made following meetings held by BC Housing’s coordinated access table where agencies including Outreach, Housing, Central Saanich Police Service, and Island Health assess applicants for suitability. Suitability considers vulnerability in the community, neighbourhood considerations, accessibility to services, the housing operators’ experience and mandates - all in the interest of creating a balanced mix tenancy that will support successful operation and tenancies.  

To help integrate the facility into the neighbourhood, a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) will be established with representation from the non-profit operator, BC Housing, Island Health, RCMP, local government, businesses and other community members at large who will work together to address any concerns and to support positive integration into the community. 

Teresa, we hope this information is helpful. Please email us if you have additional questions. 

What is being proposed at 1909 Prosser is not the same as shelters or leased hotels that were established to respond to an emergency housing situation. 

These will be permanent homes with supports. Supportive housing is a self-contained studio home with various support services provided on-site, to help people achieve and maintain housing stability. Staff would be on-site 24/7 working with each resident to understand their needs and goals. Applicants will go through an assessment process to make sure there is a mix of residents with the right supports. All residents will have an individual case plan and pay rent.

The supportive housing model is unique in that all residents in supportive housing have made a choice to live there and are able to access the services provided by non-profit housing operators, such as life-skills training, and connections to primary health care, mental health and/or harm reduction services, and employment and life-skills programming. 

Additional supports are also available, such as daily meals, outreach workers, wellness checks, life and employment skills training, opportunities for volunteer work, connection and referral to community services and support groups. 

The operator will be able to assist residents who require medical assistance, either through on-site supports or off-site appointments. We are working with Island Health to ensure appropriate health services for residents. 

It’s important to note that not everyone who lives here will use alcohol or drugs, nor do they all require support for substance use. They are vulnerable members of the community - they might be seniors, people with employment but are unable to afford housing, or people with disabilities.