Prince George - 606 Zelkwas - Harmony House

Illustration of townhouses in background, with mother and baby in foreground.


Overview

BC Housing, the Phoenix Transition Society, and the Trinity United Church are working together to build new transition and second stage housing for women and their children in Prince George. The proposed building would provide a new space for the Harmony House program where women and their children can live for six months to one year as well as second stage housing where women and their children can live independently for up to eighteen months.

The proposed development would be located at 606/614/622 Zelkwas Avenue on the vacant land behind the Trinity United Church.

Community Engagement

We are excited to propose a home that is safe for new mothers and their young children and would like to share more information about the proposal with you.

BC Housing and our partners hosted three small group dialogues on December 2 and 3, 2020 to provide community members with the opportunity to learn more about the proposed development, ask questions and provide feedback on the proposal. We thank everyone who participated and encourage you to submit questions or comments in the Q&A below.

BC Housing has started the process to rezone the property. All feedback received before December 18, 2020 will be included in the engagement summary provided to the City as part of the rezoning process.

Proposal Details

The proposed development includes a building that will accommodate women who are pregnant or recently gave birth and require a safe place to raise their children and develop life and parenting skills. The building will include both transition and second stage housing.

Transition housing functions as one large home and includes private bedrooms and bathrooms with shared kitchen and common indoor and outdoor spaces. Second stage housing includes self-contained, suites for independent living. The number of units will be confirmed through the design process, but the project team is seeking to construct a building that is two storeys and looks and feels like a home.

The Phoenix Transition Society would operate the proposed development. The Phoenix Transition Society currently operates a housing program called Harmony House, a safe house whose mission is to provide supports to pregnant women and new mothers struggling with mental health, addiction or traumas. Since January 2017, 81 women have gone through the Harmony House program and there is high demand and a long wait list for these services. The newly proposed project would expand current operations to meet an important need in the community.

The transition housing will follow the same model as the existing Harmony House program. Once women have completed the Harmony House program (typically less than one year), they move into second stage housing.

Pending approvals, the proposed project would be located on property owned by the Trinity United Church. BC Housing would hold the land for a 60-year term. One the term is up the land would be returned to the ownership of the Trinity United Church.

The proposed development is being funded through the B.C. Housing Women’s Transition Housing Fund Program.

Your feedback and comments are important to us

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


Overview

BC Housing, the Phoenix Transition Society, and the Trinity United Church are working together to build new transition and second stage housing for women and their children in Prince George. The proposed building would provide a new space for the Harmony House program where women and their children can live for six months to one year as well as second stage housing where women and their children can live independently for up to eighteen months.

The proposed development would be located at 606/614/622 Zelkwas Avenue on the vacant land behind the Trinity United Church.

Community Engagement

We are excited to propose a home that is safe for new mothers and their young children and would like to share more information about the proposal with you.

BC Housing and our partners hosted three small group dialogues on December 2 and 3, 2020 to provide community members with the opportunity to learn more about the proposed development, ask questions and provide feedback on the proposal. We thank everyone who participated and encourage you to submit questions or comments in the Q&A below.

BC Housing has started the process to rezone the property. All feedback received before December 18, 2020 will be included in the engagement summary provided to the City as part of the rezoning process.

Proposal Details

The proposed development includes a building that will accommodate women who are pregnant or recently gave birth and require a safe place to raise their children and develop life and parenting skills. The building will include both transition and second stage housing.

Transition housing functions as one large home and includes private bedrooms and bathrooms with shared kitchen and common indoor and outdoor spaces. Second stage housing includes self-contained, suites for independent living. The number of units will be confirmed through the design process, but the project team is seeking to construct a building that is two storeys and looks and feels like a home.

The Phoenix Transition Society would operate the proposed development. The Phoenix Transition Society currently operates a housing program called Harmony House, a safe house whose mission is to provide supports to pregnant women and new mothers struggling with mental health, addiction or traumas. Since January 2017, 81 women have gone through the Harmony House program and there is high demand and a long wait list for these services. The newly proposed project would expand current operations to meet an important need in the community.

The transition housing will follow the same model as the existing Harmony House program. Once women have completed the Harmony House program (typically less than one year), they move into second stage housing.

Pending approvals, the proposed project would be located on property owned by the Trinity United Church. BC Housing would hold the land for a 60-year term. One the term is up the land would be returned to the ownership of the Trinity United Church.

The proposed development is being funded through the B.C. Housing Women’s Transition Housing Fund Program.

Your feedback and comments are important to us

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

Have a question or comment? Write below.

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  • COVID-19 is showing us the cracks in our communities and culture. Before the pandemic, 1 in 3 women experienced physical or sexual violence, mostly by an intimate partner. Data collected so far show an increase in calls to domestic violence helplines since the outbreak of COVID-19. More than ever our community needs these services. I would be honoured to share my neighbourhood with women and children trying to make a stronger and safer life.

    SMaxwell asked 8 months ago

    Thank you for your email and your support for this exciting and important project. All responses we have received will be included in an engagement summary provided to the City of Prince George as part of the rezoning process.