Kelowna’s homeless will soon have a roof over their heads.
A homeless housing project called Hearthstone, built by the province on 1642 Commerce Ave., opens next week for residents, according to soon-to-be-councillor Loyal Wooldridge.
The John Howard Society will operate Hearthstone, which contains 46 suites, and a handful are available for couples as well, said Wooldridge. He toured the modular housing complex Tuesday, prior to its opening.
“Each room has a three piece bathroom, they’re fully furnished, they all have a kitchenette,” he said. The province is also looking at more sites in town for those who need wheelchair access.
READ MORE: Ground-breaking for modular housing for homeless in Kelowna
A breakfast and dinner will also be served to residents each day in a communal kitchen.
Single units range from $300 and couples are priced around $500, which is priced for those on income assistance, he said.
Security will be also on site 24/7, Wooldridge said.
A coordinator has 24/7 access to security cameras and every door to the units can be controlled by the coordinator and residents have to enter through the front door and sign-ins are required.
Community gardens will be built on site and residents can earn money if they choose to partake in housekeeping for the building.
A committee has also been formed to communicate with businesses in the area and a fence is being built at the back end of the property to prevent break-ins, Wooldridge said.
“There’s going to be more eyes on the street, so I feel like it’s going to be a benefit to bring more people to that area,” he said.
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