Kelowna – 2740 Highway 97 North – Trailside Transitional Housing
BC Housing and the City of Kelowna have built 60 units of temporary transitional housing at 2740 Highway 97 North. This project is a major part of our plan to address and prevent homelessness and encampments in the community.
The housing project is called Trailside. It is funded by the Province’s HEARTH program. Trailside is also anchored by a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Province and the City of Kelowna. This is the second location in Kelowna to fulfill the 120 new units of transitional housing announced in October 2023. The first location is STEP Place.
The construction of Trailside is in the final stages, and we will start welcoming residents in mid-May 2024.About Trailside
Trailside is a temporary housing solution. These units provide urgently needed shelter for local people experiencing homelessness while BC Housing and the City of Kelowna continue to working to build permanent supportive homes.
Each unit at Trailside is a private room. There are shared washroom and laundry facilities, a common dining area, commercial kitchen and outdoor amenity space. The site is fully fenced with gated access, security lighting and cameras.
BC Housing has selected Turning Points Collaborative Society to operate this temporary housing and provide services to the residents. These include:
- 24/7 staffing
- Daily meals
- Health care referrals, wellness checks
- Life skills programming and one on one supports
- Connection and referral to community services, and support groups
- Individualized Care Plans created in conjunction with health professionals
- Activities of Daily Living supports by Licensed Practical Nurses and Registered Social Workers
- Housing focused case management & rapid rehousing health focused case management
- Transition supports - rent supplements & outreach
The safety of our housing residents, staff and surrounding community is always our top priority. One of the most important safety features for any housing project is 24/7 staffing by experienced professionals. Other safety measures include:
- Fully fenced perimeter with privacy screening
- Gated access
- Security cameras
- Lighting
Residents
People moving into Trailside will be mainly from local shelters. We will assess all residents and offer temporary housing units to people who are ready to move into independent housing. This, in turn, frees up shelter spaces for people sheltering in encampments and others experiencing homelessness in the community.
Stays at Trailside are intended to be brief and a gateway to permanent housing. This type of temporary housing can be an important part of a person’s journey out of homelessness – from shelters to transitional housing (such as Trailside) and finally permanent housing. Staff will work with each resident individually to help them prepare for and find permanent homes that fit their needs.
In addition to the HEARTH housing program, BC Housing and City of Kelowna are launching a Homeless Encampment Action Response Team (HEART). This new program will bring together BC Housing, Interior Health and many other organizations and Indigenous partners. Their shared goal will be to assess the needs of people sheltering in encampments and provide rapid access to the supports and services they need to find a home.
Community Engagement
A caring community can contribute greatly to the success of people transitioning out of homelessness, and we want this temporary housing to be a success for everyone.
BC Housing and Turning Points are committed to being good neighbours. We will keep lines of communication open throughout this project, answer questions, and address any concerns.
Community Conversations
In February 2024, we hosted dialogue sessions with neighbours and community members. We thank the community and value the feedback we received. Highlights included:
- Discussions about tenant selection – how we assess who is ready to move into independent housing and match them with appropriate supports.
- Discussions about permanent housing – how and when a resident would transition into permanent housing.
- The City of Kelowna’s plan to address homelessness – how we plan to support unsheltered community members by freeing up shelter space and creating clear pathways into housing.
- Consultation with people with lived experience of homelessness – how consultations with people with lived experience of homelessness (including Kelowna’s Lived Experience Circle on Homelessness) have informed the temporary housing program.
- Measuring success of the program – sharing our goal of having 80% of tenants living in stable housing 6 months after leaving Trailside.
Questions
For questions about the Trailside development, please contact BC Housing by emailing communityrelations@bchousing.org.
For questions about the temporary transitional housing program, please contact Turning Points by emailing info@turningpoints.ngo.
