A twenty-bedroom house to get women out of homelessness may not seem like much, compared to the magnitude of the needs. But in a housing crisis, every new home counts.
The director of the Montreal organization Chez Doris, Marina Boulos-Winton, was therefore proud, on Tuesday, to show her new establishment, while stressing that the demand is enormous for such services, “given the homelessness crisis. , which has increased during the pandemic, as well as housing costs and inflation,” she noted.
The new rooming house, a former hotel located near Place Dupuis, will welcome next week the first of 20 women aged 28 to 62, who have been on the street for periods varying between 3 months and 10 years. At all times, day and night, two workers will be on hand to support them in their “social reaffiliation” process.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, THE PRESS
The director of the Montreal organization Chez Doris, Marina Boulos-Winton
“The residence is a transitional program between homelessness and an apartment in the private market,” explains Alexandra Delgado, manager of reintegration and housing services for Chez Doris. “In the street, there are skills that are lost, so the objective is to give them back control of their lives. Their goal may be, for example, to learn to cook or to undertake therapy. »
Alcohol will be tolerated there, with many rules, and women will be able to enter even if they are intoxicated.
Mme Boulos-Winton gives a brief portrait of some of the future residents: one of them, aged 58, comes out of an abusive and violent relationship that lasted 20 years and found herself homeless after been evicted from her accommodation; another, a 62-year-old lady who suffers from schizophrenia, lost her apartment at the start of the pandemic.
“Mental illness is a big problem that prevents you from finding stable housing, deplores Mme Boulos-Winton. There is a lack of services in the health network, and many women refuse services, which they have the right to do, as long as they are not a danger to themselves or to others. So, unfortunately, we have to wait for something to happen to get a court order requiring them to seek treatment. »
Women refused every night
Because demand has increased during the pandemic, Chez Doris opened a night shelter with 24 emergency beds in September 2022, in addition to its day centre. But the organization must refuse between four and nine women each night. Some are forced to sleep on the streets or in tents.
The 20 tenants of the new rooming house have access to common living rooms and kitchens, and to large outdoor terraces.
The purchase and renovation of the old hotel cost 6.4 million. The project was made possible thanks to the support of the City of Montreal and a financial contribution of over $5 million from the Government of Canada via the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), under an Agreement Canada-Quebec for the rapid creation of housing. The Government of Quebec will allocate a rent supplement, which will allow future residents to pay only 25% of their income for housing, while the monthly rent for each room has been set at $858.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, THE PRESS
Montreal philanthropist Bash Shetty (center), donated $1 million to the residence.
The rest comes from private donors, including Montreal philanthropist Bash Shetty, who donated $1 million. The new residence bears his name. Mr. Shetty, who has a career in marine law and insurance, was present at the inauguration, but declined to give media interviews.
In September, Chez Doris will inaugurate another building with 26 studios. Then, in 2025, a transitional residence that will provide accommodation for periods of three months to two years.
The head of housing on the executive committee of the City of Montreal, Benoit Dorais, present at the inauguration, pointed out that rooming houses are often the buoy that allows homeless people to get off the street, because of their rent. affordable. Montreal has also made 100 rooming houses subject to its right of first refusal, which gives it a right of first refusal when one of these properties is put up for sale.
Over the past year, the City has purchased four rooming houses, and other transactions are to come, promises Mr. Dorais. “We have planned a fund of 600 million over 10 years for these purchases, he recalls. This is an astronomical amount, unheard of. »