Aunt Leah's Properties

So great connecting with partners and colleagues at the #HousingCentral Conference this week! Thanks for the shoutout and ongoing support @rentalprotectionfund.

We are grateful to The Vancouver Sun for publishing this Opinion piece today. We feel strongly and passionately that a strategy to address youth homelessness will change the face of our society. "Without a dedicated youth housing strategy, young people in care are being pulled down a path to homelessness and further into a cycle of life-altering crises — facing issues like problematic substance use, interactions with the criminal justice system, and even losing custody of their own children." - Jacqueline Dupuis and Sarah Stewart Please share this post as we head to the ballot box. https://lnkd.in/gQX4S_KX #HousinginBC #bcPoli #YouthHousing #YouthHousingStrategy #SocialPurposeHousing #BCElection #PRforGood #PRforSocialChange #SocialPurposePR

It's official - we've announced our most recent acquisition! Aunt Leah's | Pender Street. With the support of BC's Rental Protection Fund, we've purchased a 41-unit residential property in Burnaby. In an effort to protect affordable rental homes and create much-needed safe, affordable housing for youth aging out of foster care, our first Aunt Leah's participant will call Pender St home in October. There's a sneak-peek of our 90-unit development underway in New Westminster here as well! https://lnkd.in/gW4dzxvp

Fascinating discussion at noon today on CBC BC about this report. Stakeholders speaking on the approach and resources needed to successfully support vulnerable children and families. The passion and dedication of the folks doing the front line work is overwhelming. I'm grateful to live in a province willing to do the work to fix the broken systems.

The findings of Dr. Charelsworth's 'Don't Look Away' report are staggering, not for the faint of heart, and something everyone must see. It's true, we mustn't look away at this moment where we need to dig deep and radicalize the historically broken foster care system. Minster Lore's response to the report, promising to work cross-ministerially to create a strategic and aligned plan is formidable. Including Housing in this process will be critical to ensuring the long-term safety and security of youth in care. "Supporting child and youth well-being requires an all-of-government approach. It requires working together with community partners, First Nations and Indigenous communities. We must do things differently and are committing today to a new vision for child well-being that focuses on prevention, care and a new way of thinking," said Grace Lore, Minister of Children and Family Development. https://lnkd.in/g-_fyvit https://lnkd.in/gSDahY3r

36 years and hundreds served, despite myriad challenges. Proud to support!

Rezoning and Official Community Plan (OCP) amendment approved by Council in New Westminster this week! Councillor raises fair points and concerns about maximizing the Province's Transit Oriented Development (TOD) policy development and land assembly opportunities, but as a non-profit developer serving vulnerable populations - actually serving ANYONE who needs housing in these challenging times! - how do we wait? Thank you to staff, council, BC Housing and the entire team involved in getting this project to this important milestone. 90 units of safe, secure housing for youth aging out of care will go a long way to helping to end youth homelessness. https://lnkd.in/gNS_FYmv

Much appreciation to Infrastructure Canada and the Reaching Home Program for their critical support in funding this project. Aunt Leah's House has been in operations for over 35 years serving over 400 young mothers at risk of losing their children to the foster care system. Rebuilding the existing house to provides a purpose-built, safe and secure HOME that creates the stability needed to keep families together. We are also excited for the Laneway House project - first in the City of Burnaby! - also being constructed on this property, which will create space for 3 more families. Thanks to Reaching Home for also supporting this project. #affordablehousing #auntleahs #youngmothers #fostercare

Last week, the Ministry of Children and Family Development announced it will extend supports and services for former youth in care to age 26. This is fantastic news! Right? Sort of... Despite these positive changes, lack of safe, secure housing remains the primary impediment to youth moving forward in their life journey. Statistics show that half of these young adults will experience homelessness within three years of leaving care. Today parented children are accessing family housing and supports well into their 20's, former youth in care must have access to similar privilege. Sarah Stewart of Aunt Leah's and former youth in care discuss this development with the Vancouver Sun. https://lnkd.in/gVpg4ZZ5

We work in this building where TD OPS had been operating up until the end of March. Observing the myriad media coverage yesterday on the move of these critical services to Howe St, clearly it remains contentious. Adding to this, it's disappointing to hear of the City's frustration in not being consulted on the new location when it was the City who did not renew the lease, for reasons that are unclear. Coordinated efforts across all stakeholders are required to make positive strides toward better supporting those struggling in our community. This requires all of us, collectively and individually, to be informed, present and commit to doing better. Saddened to see our neighbours go and wishing everyone well. https://lnkd.in/gFd6Hmka