Supportive housing development in Barrie will house 12 families

Supportive housing development in Barrie A multi-million-dollar supportive housing project in Barrie is back on track and will soon house a dozen families.

After more than two years of planning and construction, the Redwood Park Communities supportive housing project in Barrie is almost complete.

The 14,000-square-foot two-storey building on Lillian Crescent will soon house 12 families struggling to access a safe space to live.

“It's very difficult. It's even more difficult to do if you're in a shelter, if you're very worried about your day-to-day survival, or if your family has been split up into different shelters,” said Jennifer Van Gennip, Director of Communications, Redwood Park Communities. “The goal here is that it provides some stability, and that your family can stay together while you find that next step.”

With six apartments on each floor, the units have two fully furnished bedrooms, a bathroom, a living room, and a kitchen stocked with appliances.

Each space accommodates a family's needs for those with multiple children, bunk beds, and a crib.

The development of a partnership between Redwood Park Communities and the Salvation Army, provided $500,000 and the land for the space to be built.

“Currently, when families are in a housing crisis, they call the Salvation Army, and they go into the motel voucher program. This is going to replace that. So instead of a family going into a motel room for up to three months, which can be pretty disruptive, they're going to be able to come here,” said Van Gennip.

Workers will continue putting the finishing touches on the building, with it expected to be fully completed in the next couple of weeks. After that, people will begin moving in by early December.