52-year-old Marlo Mayers is one of several residents moving into Cornerstone, the new 51-unit supportive housing building on Prideaux Street.
Operated by Connective Nanaimo with $1.5 million in annual operating funding from B.C. Housing, Cornerstone provides new transitional homes for those experiencing homelessness. The facility has two support workers on-site at all times with services including two meals a day, life skills training, employment assistance, health resources and referrals to other services such as addiction treatment.
“There’s no real term limit, we recognize that every person has a different journey,” said Andrew Ferguson, Connective Nanaimo’s executive director. “What that looks like in terms of timeline is going look different depending on the person and it’s really about meeting that person where they’re at and getting them to where they want to be.”
For Mayers, that means returning to the construction field where she worked until about a year and a half ago when her mother died.
“I loved it, I was in it for 20 years, there was nothing that I can’t do … and I’m good at it. The money is good,” Mayers said.
READ MORE: City of Nanaimo partners with province on more social housing
The Prideaux Street facility has been in the works since 2019, when a memorandum of understanding was signed between the province and the city to deliver four permanent purpose-built supportive-housing developments in the city. The first was Samaritan Place, which opened in 2022.
Nanaimo MLA Sheila Malcolmson said the ambition is to assist residents who are challenged to get housing or retain housing.
“This is what supportive housing is about – people that tend to cycle through evictions and homelessnesss, supportive-housing provides that wrap around to be able to set them up for success,” she said. “And then our responsibility for us a province [is to] make sure there are other forms of affordable housing so they can exit supportive housing with a good track record as a good tenant and they’re going to be successful in their next tenancy.”
The province provided $12.3 million for construction and land was leased out for a nominal fee by the city.
“Imagine, 51 people who are going to be living here safe and secure, not out there in the cold on the streets, not being pestered or in many respects, exploited by others who had taken advantage of them,” Mayor Leonard Krog said.
Priority is being given to residents of Newcastle Place, a temporary housing site on Terminal Avenue, to move into the space in May, with the goal of freeing up more shelter beds.
Four of the 51 units are wheelchair accessible, and each room contains a washroom, kitchenette, shower, fridge, furniture and a bed. There is a public lounge and dining room space, laundry rooms and a medical room.
If Mayers would like to get out one message, it’s that people should get to know people experiencing homelessness.
“Stop and say hi. They’re me,” she said. “Some of them might look scary because they’ve been in the bush and chased around day after day. Get to know them, don’t beat them up, don’t light them on fire.”