Surrey - 104 Avenue Let's Talk Supportive Housing

Consultation has concluded

The Baird Blackstone Building facade

Surrey is in a housing crisis and over 600 people across the city are experiencing homelessness.

Baird Blackstone Building

As part of the ongoing work to address this crisis, BC Housing and Lookout Housing and Health Society are pleased to announce the opening of the Baird Blackstone Building, 61 new homes with supports, at 14706 104 Avenue in Surrey.

The Baird Blackstone Building will have 61 studio units and on-site services such as health and wellness, referrals to community services, employment, and other resident supports. Trained staff will be on-site 24/7 to help residents and be a direct contact for the community for any questions and inquiries.

Baird Blackstone

Baird Blackstone spent four decades in labour relations in the public service sector. He joined the Lookout Society's Board of Directors in 2010. Baird was an editor at the Surrey Leader and a former teacher at the Surrey School District. As a fierce supporter of social justice Baird was integral in raising community awareness on the issues of homelessness.

Lookout Housing and Health Society

Lookout will be operating the Baird Blackstone Building with 50 years of experience in providing minimal barrier housing. Lookout provides health and support programs through a trauma-informed lens, assisting people living with complex barriers and empowering them to achieve a better quality of life.

Lookout currently manages the Guildford Shelter on the adjacent site and would operate the new supportive housing. A Guildford Community Advisory Committee, with representation from BC Housing, City of Surrey, Fraser Health, RCMP, Surrey School District, community organizations and community members is already in place and will continue to operate and integrate the new supportive housing building.

What is Supportive Housing?

Supportive housing is a self-contained studio home with supports provided on-site, to ensure people can achieve and maintain housing stability. Priority would be given to Surrey residents who meet the eligibility criteria. BC Housing and Lookout would lead the resident selection process, in collaboration with local service providers. All new residents would pay rent, and sign a program agreement and good neighbour agreement.

Public Information Meeting

A Public Information Meeting took place on June 20, 2019, for the community to learn more about the project, have questions answered and provide feedback to the project team. This housing project was successfully rezoned in May 2020.

Surrey is in a housing crisis and over 600 people across the city are experiencing homelessness.

Baird Blackstone Building

As part of the ongoing work to address this crisis, BC Housing and Lookout Housing and Health Society are pleased to announce the opening of the Baird Blackstone Building, 61 new homes with supports, at 14706 104 Avenue in Surrey.

The Baird Blackstone Building will have 61 studio units and on-site services such as health and wellness, referrals to community services, employment, and other resident supports. Trained staff will be on-site 24/7 to help residents and be a direct contact for the community for any questions and inquiries.

Baird Blackstone

Baird Blackstone spent four decades in labour relations in the public service sector. He joined the Lookout Society's Board of Directors in 2010. Baird was an editor at the Surrey Leader and a former teacher at the Surrey School District. As a fierce supporter of social justice Baird was integral in raising community awareness on the issues of homelessness.

Lookout Housing and Health Society

Lookout will be operating the Baird Blackstone Building with 50 years of experience in providing minimal barrier housing. Lookout provides health and support programs through a trauma-informed lens, assisting people living with complex barriers and empowering them to achieve a better quality of life.

Lookout currently manages the Guildford Shelter on the adjacent site and would operate the new supportive housing. A Guildford Community Advisory Committee, with representation from BC Housing, City of Surrey, Fraser Health, RCMP, Surrey School District, community organizations and community members is already in place and will continue to operate and integrate the new supportive housing building.

What is Supportive Housing?

Supportive housing is a self-contained studio home with supports provided on-site, to ensure people can achieve and maintain housing stability. Priority would be given to Surrey residents who meet the eligibility criteria. BC Housing and Lookout would lead the resident selection process, in collaboration with local service providers. All new residents would pay rent, and sign a program agreement and good neighbour agreement.

Public Information Meeting

A Public Information Meeting took place on June 20, 2019, for the community to learn more about the project, have questions answered and provide feedback to the project team. This housing project was successfully rezoned in May 2020.

Consultation has concluded

Thanks to all who participated. We are no longer taking questions for this project. If you have a query please see our archived responses to all questions asked.

  • Why are all of these homeless services concentrated in one city block across from an elementary school and adjacent to youth sports fields? Who will monitor the residents outside of the complex including visitors and drug dealers/gangs? across from the elementary school? I have already experienced first hand what the shelter residents do to my mother's complex in the form of car break ins, complex break ins, and personally witnessed when one person threatened a custodian at the local elementary school and attempted to steal children's bikes. 2)Why more low barrier studio apartments for single adults in this location? Why not family/seniors housing considering the location close to school, recreational facilities and transit? 3)This consultation is a total sham. You already have the funding and have selected the site, design, service provider, services offered and the type of clientele this facility will serve. Why bother reaching out to the community at all when the outcome is already predetermined and the community has no say as to what type of facility goes here. 4)Why are these services concentrated in this one city block instead of other areas of guildford and surrey? (108 the avenue neighbourhood, fraser heights/fraser highway area)?

    kayakgirl asked over 5 years ago

    You are correct that if the supportive housing is approved for 104 Avenue, there will be both a shelter and homes with supports on the same block. There is a need to continue shelter services as the number of people experiencing homelessness is greater than the shelter and housing available – the new housing will provide the next step from shelter and the street towards achieving and maintaining housing stability. Lookout has been successfully operating the Guilford Shelter and will continue to be a good neighbour. We encourage you to bring forward any concerns about people staying at the shelter to the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) or to Lookout Housing directly. The elementary school administration sits on the CAC. To date no significant issues have been brought forward related to the Guildford Shelter.

    2) Homes with supports are being built because there is a need in the community. There are other projects in proposal and in development in Guildford, including a Metro Vancouver redevelopment at 153th Street and 99 Avenue to replace existing townhouse units with 4-storey apartments for singles, couples, families and seniors. BC Housing is building affordable rental housing for families, seniors, people with disabilities across Surrey including:

    • 100 units on King George Blvd with Options Community Services Society
    • 57 units + 40 shelter beds on 140th Street with Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre & Elizabeth Fry Society
    • 284 units on 140th street and on Prince Charles Street with Kekinow Society
       

    3) The site at 104 Avenue requires rezoning to build supportive housing. As part of the rezoning process, BC Housing is reaching out to the community for input on the proposal. The City of Surrey will be holding a public hearing for the application at a future date to be determined. If the application passes, the development team would then apply for a development permit and building permit before starting construction.

    4) The proposed housing for 14706 104 Avenue is part of is part of a larger plan to provide permanent homes with supports for those experiencing homelessness across Surrey. The intention is to build the housing into the fabric of the community to help people transition from homelessness to health. The first permanent site to move forward was in the Whalley area, at 13245 King George Blvd.