New housing project to accommodate separate needs of families, young adults

A new 20-unit building in Charlottetown will house both young families and young adults potentially transitioning from foster care or group homes but will have separate areas to accommodate the different client needs.

"Although it's in one building there are different areas that are set aside for each group and we have worked really closely with our folks at child protection and our community partners with P.E.I. family violence prevention services to assess what the needs are for each of these groups," Cobb said.

To be completed by 2020

The provincial and federal governments have announced a $1-million investment for the new housing project and is expected to be completed by 2020.

"This development is important in terms of providing a stable and short-term home for people who are survivors of family violence," said Sonya Cobb, P.E.I.'s director of housing services.

Independent units

This will be the first time that this kind of housing will be available for young people who are at least 18 and are transitioning out of the care of the province.

"These units are meant to be independent units. So it's to help them transition into living on their own," she said.

For young adults transitioning out of care, the building will be unsupervised which may be new for some clients whose day-to-day lives were a bit more structured in the past.

Not for everybody

But the units may not be for everyone coming out of family services, "it really depends on the individual need," Cobb said.

Transitional units are already available for victims of family violence however, this new project will simply aim to provide additional spaces.

The tender put out by the province for the construction of the short-term housing project will close on March 7.

While the project remains in its early stages housing services is unsure of future plans for expansion but expects to keep a close eye as it progresses to anticipate next possible steps, Cobb said

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