Carew Lodge & Resource Centre
Lead Organization: Stella Burry Community Services
Location: St. John's, Newfoundland, Serving: St. John's
Why Prior to Carew Lodge, the correctional and mental health systems placed individuals in the community who could not be safely housed there. The result was that these individuals would be re-institutionalized, putting support systems in chaos in the process, and resulting in no one’s needs being met.
Low income individuals with high needs, mental health problems and/or a history of incarceration were identified as a priority population to be served under the Community Plan for Addressing Homelessness developed in St. John’s. Carew Lodge was the first project approved in St. John’s under the National Homelessness Initiative to address this need.
Carew Logde residents have stable housing and appropriate supports to help ensure they remain housed in the community, reducing the likelihood of crises leading to re-institutionalization or loss of housing.
What Carew Lodge was a run-down private rooming house in downtown St. John’s that was acquired by Stella Burry Community Services in 1999 and completely renovated in 2001 to provide 14 safe, affordable housing units and on-site support services to low-income individuals.
The facility includes special units for persons with disabilities and individuals with mental health problems released on parole from correctional institutions. Many residents had never before been able to make the transition from an institution to living on their own.
All units contain a fridge, microwave, and private bathroom, and each floor has a shared kitchen and phone. A community development worker operates from a ground floor office, and one of Carew’s long time residents provides superintendent services.
Who Carew Lodge is home to 14 men and women, all of whom are low income and have few other housing options in the community due to complex support needs. Many have previously been institutionalized, in conflict with the law, and are living with mental illness and addictions.
Capital funding for the development of Carew Lodge was provided by the Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI) under the National Homelessness Initiative, and the federal-provincial Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP). Other contributing partners include: Correctional Services Canada, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), and the City of St. John’s.
The project represents the first time Newfoundland & Labrador Housing Corporation had ever invested RRAP funding in a community-based housing project, paving the way for similar partnerships in the future.
How Community development has been key to the project’s success from the beginning and CMHC nominated Carew Lodge for a 2002 Affordable Housing Innovation Award in the ‘process and management’ category.
Community Relations
From the outset, on-site staff worked to build strong neighbourhood support for the project, successfully avoiding the NIMBY syndrome. The existing run-down building on the site was seen to be a negative feature in the community, and the proposed development by Stella Burry Community Services was deemed to be a significant improvement and therefore, a community benefit.
The strong emphasis on proactive community development and community support for the project has been sustained throughout the development and ongoing operation of the project. This approach sent a message to the community that Stella Burry Community Services was serious about addressing their needs, and was committing resources for this purpose. The agency also provided the community with an access point into the project on an ongoing basis, enhancing the level of trust and communications necessary to build strong relationships with the neighbours.
Staff are committed to harnessing community goodwill to develop collaborative projects that benefit both the residents and the community. For example, a community garden has been developed by Carew Lodge tenants in cooperation with a neighbouring school, local residents, businesses, and volunteers. An annual barbeque is held with neighbours and the school hosted the grand opening.
Tenant Relations
Stella Burry Community Services has involved service recipients in decision-making throughout all phases of the project, beginning with assuring existing residents that they would continue to receive housing during the renovation of Carew Lodge, and would have access to the new units once the renovation was complete. Tenants were also involved in discussions regarding the physical design of the building, the decision-making structures needed to build a sense of community and ownership among Carew Lodge residents, and the services and programming that they would like to see provided.
Carew Lodge residents identified the need for a pre-employment program to assist them in making the transition to successful employment, and as a result, Stella Burry Community Services partnered with the Department of Human Resources & Employment to develop a program for residents and those in the community who require these services. More than half of the residents of Carew Lodge have completed the pre-employment program.
Carew Lodge is successful because it provides the combination of supports identified by clients to help them maximize their capacity to live in the community – affordable, safe housing and access to health, life skills, education and employment services.
Funding
Sustainable funding for Carew Lodge is derived from a combination of rental revenue from residents and program revenues from project partners.
Billed as long term transitional housing, tenants can stay at the Lodge for as long as they like. For many, this will be permanent housing.
A proposal is currently being put forward to the Newfoundland Labrador Housing Corporation to develop 8 one bedroom units and to increase the common space. Tenants have developed a strong sense of community and would like larger common space that allows them to cook and socialize together.
The onsite community development worker links tenants to other appropriate programs offered by Stella Burry Community Services and other agencies.
Results Carew Lodge and the related intensive supports and education/employment services provided to residents by Stella Burry Community Services are evaluated on an ongoing basis both internally and externally by funding and project partners. Early results indicate that Carew Lodge has been successful in helping clients maintain housing in the community, and establish a foundation upon which to rebuild their lives.
The Carew Lodge initiative demonstrates an emerging policy and service response to meeting the needs of persons with complex needs with histories of mental illness or incarceration. The provision of safe affordable, appropriate housing and supports to this population has yielded successful results including improved quality of life and enhanced collaboration among the service providers who are working to meet their needs.
What's Been Learned Buying a building that is known for violence and chaos and engaging with neighbours from the start to keep them fully informed mitigates the NIMBY syndrome.
Hiring a former tenant as the superintendent demonstrated the agency’s commitment to listening to tenants needs and wishes and signaled a belief in their capacity to succeed. Having a community development worker supporting and mentoring the superintendent, was critical in developing her self confidence and in helping her learn to deal with conflict and volatile situations.
Not trying to counsel tenants but instead inviting them to participate in supportive employment and other programs to increase their independence and stability earned their trust and participation. Links to mental health and corrections system through our community integration project helped tenants access appropriate services. Having a 24 hour counselor available for consultation and support to the superintendent from Emmanuel House, a residential treatment program operated by SBCS, where most tenants have previously lived, provided support to tenants with a high degree of need.
The design of units is important. Units need to be designed to maximize efficiently and space and while ensuring the comfort of tenants.
What Comes Next Stella Burry Community Services (SBCS) has recently submitted a proposal to build 8 one bedroom units and a larger common space on the Carew Lodge site. SBCS has just bought another property within walking distance of Carew Lodge that will house the Community Integration Project, the Employment Programs including a street café and a craft coop and will have 6 more units of affordable housing on site for women coming out of prison.
A training program in carpentry, upholstery, sewing and furniture restoration for tenants and other SBCS clients will be delivered in the same geographical region. Clients engaged in the carpentry apprenticeship program will receive on site training by completing maintenance on SBCS properties.
SBCS is also hoping to receive seed funding from CMHC to study the feasibility of buying rundown homes in the downtown area and using funding from the Rental Rehabilitation Assistance Program to refurbish them. SBCS is currently seeking partners to help tenants acquire the resources and skills necessary to assume ownership of their home after 5 years.
