Co:Here Brochure - CO:HERE Housing Community

Co:Here
Housing
Community
A new approach
to addressing
homelessness in
Vancouver.
26 units of affordable
and transformative
housing located at
East 1st Avenue &
Victoria Drive in the
Commercial Drive
neighbourhood.
home for good
Co:Here’s
approach meets
the needs of
homelessness &
isolation
Fostering
Human
Flourishing
Project Cost
Capital Cost
$9.9 million
Raised to Date
$8.0 million1
(80%)
Fundraising Goal
$1.9 million
Co:Here Housing Community
co-here.ca
The project
is financially
sustainable
Homelessness,
Loneliness & Isolation
Affordable housing is well-known as
one of the biggest challenges facing
the homeless and those at-risk-ofhomelessness in Vancouver today.
However, significant issues that are
often overlooked are the feelings of
loneliness and isolation that go handin-hand with homelessness and poverty.
Isolation has been called the hallmark of
North American urban poverty and is a
problem that cannot be solved by simply
putting a roof over someone’s head.
In 2014, 2,777 homeless people were
counted in the Metro Vancouver region
with Vancouver having the largest
concentration (65% or approx. 1,800
people). Service providers reported that
the numbers underestimate the true
extent of homelessness in the Metro
Vancouver region.2
Financially Sustainable
Co:Here is built on a financial model
in which the building’s rental revenue
sustains a balanced budget that includes
building maintenance, a support worker
and replacement reserves. After the
remaining $1.9 million of capital
funding has been raised, no additional
fundraising will be required for the
ongoing operations of the building.
Sparking
the imagination
of other
non-profits
Co:Here’s Approach
Co:Here is founded on the conviction
that people are made for community.
Our vision comes from our experience
in creating intentional communities
and the relationships we have with
vulnerable people in our neighbourhood.
We are building affordable housing that
will bring together people from different
economic backgrounds in an authentic,
supportive community that will allow
vulnerable people to flourish. Residents
will be invited to journey together in a
mutually transformative and nurturing
environment based on the principles
of simplicity, community, respect,
empowerment and sustainability.
Creating a Model for
Other Groups
Co:Here is sparking the imagination
of other not-for-profit organizations
by encouraging them to explore the
possibility of using their property to
create affordable housing to support the
most vulnerable in their neighbourhoods.
Co:Here aspires to be a prototype that
can be replicated by other non-profit
organizations throughout Vancouver.
1 Includes a $1.3 million matching grant.
2 According to the Greater Vancouver Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness. (2014).
Results of the 2014 Homeless Count in the Metro Vancouver Region.
http://stophomelessness.ca/homeless-counts/2014-metro-vancouver-homeless-count
Designed for Transformation
Located at the corner of East 1st Avenue
and Victoria Drive in the Commercial
Drive neighbourhood, plans have
been approved for a four-storey,
wood-frame building with one level
of underground parking.
The building is comprised of 26 selfcontained units on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th
floor consisting of 18 studio apartments,
4 one bedroom apartments, and 4 two
bedroom apartments. The units will be
configured in two pod-like groups on
each floor with each pod sharing a small
common area, balcony, and washer/
dryer. The main floor of the building will
be a community space which will have a
large kitchen, dining room, living room
and a meditation space.
The building will occupy the northerly
two-thirds of the site. The southerly
portion of the site will function as a
courtyard and urban agriculture area
for Residents3 and Co-Residents4 to
grow their own fresh food. The building
will be LEED Gold as part of our vision
to care for the environment in our
construction and in sustainable ongoing
building operations.
Co:Here’s professional team of
experienced consultants include
Innovative Housing Consultants
(development consultants), NSDA
Architects, MMM Group (engineers),
VanMar Constructors (construction
management) and BTY Group
(cost consulting).
20 units for
Residents
and 6 units for
Co-Residents
living alongside
each other in
a mutually
transformative,
supportive and
nurturing
environment.
Working drawings and designs are
nearing completion and construction
can commence in early 2015 if all of
the capital funds have been raised.
26
self-contained
units
Large community
space on the
main floor
Urban agriculture
to grow their
own food
3 People who are homeless/at-risk-of-homelessness in the Commercial Drive neighbourhood.
4 Individuals, couples and small families who are drawn by a vision of living in a community where
life is shared with people of diverse backgrounds in an open-handed and simplified lifestyle.
Co:Here Housing Community
co-here.ca
We along with
our partners and
supporters invite
you to support
Co:Here and
this vision of
innovative and
transformative
housing.
Co:Here’s
Organizational Partners
Grandview Calvary
Baptist Church
(“GCBC”) gcbchurch.ca
Salsbury Community Society
(“Salsbury”) salsburycs.ca
JustWork Economic Initiative
(“JustWork”) justwork.ca
For the past 20 years GCBC, Salsbury
and JustWork have been actively caring
for people in the Commercial Drive
neighbourhood. They are a movement
of people who look out for the least
of those among us and stand with them.
GCBC has donated the church parking
lot land to enable the creation
of Co:Here.
Some of the programs that have grown
from GCBC, Salsbury and JustWork
include: Crossroads Community Meal,
Kinbrace Community Society, Just
Potters, Just Catering, Just Renos,
The Potter’s House Studio, Open Door
for Single Moms, CLEAN Break laundry
program and REED (Resist Exploitation
Embrace Dignity).
Supporters
BC Housing
Canadian Baptists of Western Canada
City of Vancouver
CMHC
Grandview Calvary Baptist Church
Hawthorne Charitable Foundation
Metro Vancouver
Seacliff Foundation
Streetohome
Vancity Community Foundation
Several Generous Individuals
Contact & Donations
Co:Here Foundation
1148 Odlum Drive
Vancouver, BC V5L 3L7
Tel: 604-629-0653
Email: [email protected]
www.co-here.ca
Michael Guenter, Chair
Tel: 604-418-9916
Email: [email protected]
Donations can be made online at:
Chimp: chimp.net
or Canadahelps: canadahelps.org
Co:Here Foundation is a registered
charitable organization. Charitable number
830879532RR0001
This history and depth of experience
is enriched by the long-term
commitment of patrons such as the
Hawthorne Charitable Foundation,
which has partnered with Co:Here
since its inception.
home for good

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