It has been nearly six months since a transitional housing pilot project opened its doors in Saint John.
Nearly two dozen people who had been experiencing homelessness now call Somerset ACRES home.
The residents moved into the site within the Crescent Valley neighbourhood just before Christmas.
Sara Graham, who works for Fresh Start Services and manages the site, said things have been going extremely well.
“With this kind of area and how we’ve had it set up and being able to have staff 24/7, it’s been really incredible to see kind of the goals that they’ve been hitting, the strides that they’ve been making since they’ve been here,” Graham said in a recent interview.
How supportive housing helps residents
The 21 people living at Somerset ACRES have been learning important life skills, such as cooking and preparing to live on their own.
Many are also working towards getting new IDs and setting up bank accounts, and a couple even have job interviews already lined up.
“Just hearing back from the residents of being able to have a place where it’s that non-judgment and being able to do things at their own pace has really solidified them being able to make sustainable changes in their lives,” said Graham.
“They’re able to focus on things that aren’t just for survival. They’ve been able to know where their next meal is going to come from. They’re able to know that people are there to support them.”
Concerns about crime unfounded
When the pilot project was first announced, one of the concerns expressed most frequently by nearby residents was that it would bring a rise in crime to the neighbourhood.
Graham said there has been no violence on-site or within the broader community since the residents first moved in just before Christmas, which comes as no surprise to her.
“They want to have their own community. They want to live their lives. They are ready to move forward with the goals that they have in their lives. It’s no different than moving into a new apartment building,” she said.
“They just want the opportunity to do the things that they know that they’re fully capable of, so being able to have the space and the support to do so, you can tell how much stress is taken off of them.”
The goal is to prepare clients to move into more independent housing, but Graham said it will be up to each resident to decide when they are ready to make that step.
More transitional housing coming
The six-month anniversary of Somerset ACRES comes as city officials prepare to launch transitional housing in two additional sites on the east side later this year.
Graham said sites like these are important, adding that people often underestimate the ability that individuals have when they feel supported.
“When you’ve got people who are in your corner, encouraging you, helping you build skills that you have not been able to use in a very long time, it makes them feel like it’s that sense of normalcy,” she added.
“They have the ability to do all the things that ‘regular people’ get to do without even thinking twice about it, but they kind of have to work towards being able to do that.”
