Patricia Franks and her daughter, Gabi, gaze out the window on the third floor of a house nestled in a corner of Caledon, Ont. The electricity isn’t wired yet and the drywall still dusts their clothes during the walk-through.<\/p>\n
Despite this, the joy\u00a0on Gabi’s face is palpable. “Why do you want to live here?” asks\u00a0Patricia.<\/p>\n “To be independent,” Gabi exclaims.<\/p>\n That independence is the reason Patricia partnered with a charity that started an initiative to create supportive housing using under-utilized properties.<\/p>\n Gabi, 30, is preparing to live on her own for the first time. She was born with a developmental disability similar to Down Syndrome and her mother is her primary caregiver.<\/p>\n Patricia, chair of Caledon Area Families for Inclusion Housing (CAFFI), knew there was a lack of affordable housing in the area, especially for people who need support.<\/p>\n “In big cities, there are more opportunities because there’s a much larger rental pool,” she says. “In small communities, that doesn’t exist.”<\/p>\n In searching for an appropriate home for her daughter, CAFFI Housing partnered with Raising the Roof, a charity dedicated to ending homelessness to launch a program focused on turning vacant properties into shared housing for vulnerable people.<\/p>\n Raising the Roof’s new Reside program partners with organizations across the province to address specific needs in each community.<\/p>\n “It’s really to sharpen up those independent living skills,” says Elisa Traficante, interim CEO of Raising the Roof. “[The worker] provides a safety net.”<\/p>\n For Gabi, moving into the house\u00a0is a chance to take care of herself, even if it’s just 10 minutes from her mom.<\/p>\n “I’m happy and excited,” she says.<\/p>\n For Patricia, 60, it’s also preparing her daughter for when she’s no longer able to look after her.<\/p>\n “When we have to have our own place it helps us grow up and mature. I want to give her that opportunity when I’m still around to support her.”<\/p>\n The supportive housing arrangement also offers a break for the parents; taking care of Gabi meant Patricia didn’t have time to pursue her own interests.<\/p>\n “It’ll be nice for me to have a little less day-to-day stress,” she says. She also hopes the independence Gabi gains will allow them to have more of a friendship.<\/p>\n Gabi will live in a home on a heritage property that was formerly a church. It sat vacant for the last 19 years.<\/p>\n When work started in late 2018, builders discovered it was filled with raccoons, there was evidence of squatters and vandalism. The property had\u00a0become a “liability” to the community.<\/p>\n Traficante hopes the project will revitalize the area once it’s completed in November.<\/p>\n “It’ll be more of a community hub,” she says.<\/p>\n The Caledon home is one of the first two projects taking shape under th. Raising the Roof is working with Eva’s Initiatives for Homeless Youth on a home in North York for at-risk youth.<\/p>\n “It’s really that wraparound support, so we need that housing as the first step,” Traficante says.<\/p>\n Construction on both homes cost about $500,000.\u00a0The projects have a variety of private and corporate donors, including the City of Toronto and the Region of Peel.<\/p>\n Rent is about $440 a month, which will\u00a0go toward new projects.<\/p>\n The program coordinators for Reside are\u00a0aiming to build 10 homes in the next 10 years.<\/p>\nAffordable housing<\/h2>\n
‘When I’m still around’<\/h2>\n
Community hub<\/h2>\n
‘Wraparound support’<\/h2>\n