Plan to convert hotel to transition housing welcomed but could be cheaper: advocate

Newfoundland and Labrador's opposition parties say they want more details about the provincial government's plans to convert a hotel into transitionhousing, while a housing advocate says better options could have been done a lot more cheaply.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corp.announced Monday that it will lease the Comfort Hotel on Airport Road for three years, at $6.9 millionper year. The hotel will close on Feb.15, and its 140 rooms will be converted into transition spaces with wraparound services dedicated to supporting homeless people.

St. John's housing advocate Mark Wilson said the move to create more transitionhousing is goodbut other options would have cost less.

Wilson is fundraising to create modular housing shelters. He says communities in Ontario are seeing the benefits of getting people out of the cold at a better price.

"If it were done with that type of solution, we're looking at about $3.65 million," he said.

"We would own all of those buildings and that includes a central building, [a] 1,900 square foot unit that has fourbathrooms, a nursing station, a kitchen."

NDP Leader Jim Dinnsaid Tuesday the conversion isa good first step and one he feels was prompted by calls from his party and the public to take action on homelessness.

"On one level I can say that government is finally seeming to listen," Dinn said.

"You look at the five-point [housing] plan that they announced back in October, there was no mention of this."

Company approached N.L. Housing with idea

N.L. Housing communications manager Jenny Bowringsaid the interest for the project came from the hotel's owners, Clayton Hospitality.

Bowringsaid N.L. Housing was already exploring facilities to use as transitionhousingand the hotel presented an option that meets all their needs and can be quickly switched into a transitionhousing space.

The $6.9-million budgetcovers only the lease of the building, not the cost of what are called wraparound services, like mental health and addictions supports, harm reduction services and meals.

Dinn said he has questions about whether hotel staff will be trained intrauma-informed practices. Getting things up and running will be more complex than government thinks, he said.

WATCH I This is what some people have to say about a hotel-turned-transitional housing:

Heres some reaction to a St. Johns hotel being turned into transitional housing

8 months ago

Duration 0:58

The Newfoundland and Labrador government is leasing the Comfort Inn hotel for three years for a total cost of $21 million to provide 140 rooms and addictions help, counselling and other health services. But some are skeptical that the already overstretched health-care system will be able to deliver.

He says the money could be used to renovate government buildings to turn into housing down the road something the provincial government outlined in its recent housing plan.

"Making sure that no one has to live in a tent is key, but the second part is how do you make sure people stay housed?"

PC Leader Tony Wakehamsaid he has concerns aboutwhat the services inside the hotel will look like and where the staff will come from.

A lot of work still needs to be done before people can move in, said Wakeham, who accused the province of not acting on homelessness fast enough.

"It'sbeen just put on the back burner," Wakeham said.

"And wasn't until, in reality, we saw tent city here in front of Confederation Building that this FureyLiberal government started to pay any attention to housing in this province."

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