Belkin House is the largest supportive housing project in BC for the homeless, those at risk of homelessness and low-income families. This innovative facility offers a wide range of support services including counseling for addiction recovery, mental and physical treatment programs, and job skills training to help the 230 residents become self-sufficient. The unique combination of men’s and women’s emergency shelters, supportive housing, Correctional Service of Canada transitional housing, safe house apartments and supportive services has been designed with the mandate to help break the cycle of homelessness.
The functional program is organized into an eight-storey building. The first two storeys serve public, social, instructional and counselling functions. The U-shape of the third to the sixth floors maximizes sun exposure and creates a landscaped courtyard. Residential units (single resident rooms, emergency shelter four-bed dorms, and small apartment group living) are wrapped around the perimeter with integrated programs located at the core. The L-shaped seventh floor contains a women’s shelter and small apartment units for women with children. The eighth floor houses the administrative offices.