HomeSpace Society

We are proud to announce the release of HomeSpace Society's annual Report to Community! This year's report, themed "Scaling the Mountain," highlights our relentless efforts to provide safe and affordable homes and build hope for those in need. It also underscores the challenging journey ahead and the unique collaboration required to address this crisis on a larger scale. We invite you to read our report and join us in our journey to the summit, where every effort brings us closer to a brighter future for all.

Amid the growing housing crisis, our mission remains clear: to creatively use our expertise to increase affordable and specialized housing units in our city. This comprehensive report details our progress in building, maintaining, and managing affordable housing, showcasing new and completed developments from the past year. It includes financial summaries that reflect our commitment to transparency and fiscal responsibility, as well as feedback from residents who have found stability and hope through HomeSpace homes.

A big thank you is due to our small but mighty team, our partner agencies, every level of government, donors, and every Calgarian who has supported us throughout the year. Thank you for believing that a more equitable city where "A Home for Everyone in Our Community" is possible.

Read the full report here: https://www.homespace.org/report-to-community-2024

Our volunteer street mural brought neighbors of all ages together, turning a simple street into a vibrant masterpiece. It’s incredible to see how collaborative projects like this one can unite us, bringing smiles, laughter, and fostering a sense of community. Check out these cool shots of the project! 📸

This Neighbour Day, HomeSpace turned the Norris House streets into a vibrant canvas of creativity and community spirit!

This fun filled day in the sun could not have been possible without all of our amazing volunteers from Rümi, Urban Calgary Students' Association, help from our wonderful residents, and funding from Activateyyc & the City of Calgary.

At Norris House - a 45 unit stacked townhouse community for families who are at risk of homelessness, this outdoor space is not only used for travel and parking, but also as a gathering place. Especially by the children in their free time who enjoy playing tag, sports, exploring, planting the community garden boxes or spending time with their neighbours.

This traffic calming and placemaking street mural was a great way to improve pedestrian safety of the area while strengthening residents’ connection with their new homes, their neighbors, and supportive staff.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating Neighbour Day! Here’s to building stronger, more connected communities one brushstroke at a time!

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Last week, HomeSpace was honoured to have municipal leaders and representatives from across Canada join us at a study tour of Neoma as part of the ! It's ambitious ideas like Neoma that can continue to move the needle on key issues like housing that so many Canadian municipalities are facing. Thank you to everyone who was eager to learn and discuss the opportunities and challenges of completing Canada's first office to affordable housing conversion. We hope you enjoyed the presentation and tour!

Strikes, laughs, and HomeSpace team spirit! 🎳 Our staff team bonding bowling night last Friday was a blast. There’s nothing like a little friendly competition to bring us closer together. Cheers to the best team!

Thank you to everyone who ran, cheered, and supported this past Sunday!

Special shout out to our HomeSpacer Marvin who completed a half marathon raising over $2000 in support of our mission! 🏃‍♂️ 💪

We had a great time being part of the charity challenge for the first time ever! We are so excited to keep this momentum going for next year. If you want to make an impact, its not to late! Check out our fundraising page here: https://raceroster.com/events/2024/74775/servus-calgary-marathon-2024/fundraising-organization/55975

Only 10 days until the Calgary Marathon Charity Challenge hosted by Run Calgary and Servus Credit Union! Sign up today to to help us continue to provide safe and affordable housing to those experiencing homelessness.

Register here: https://buff.ly/4bigXOP

Homelessness is a policy choice. Investment and policy in support of affordable housing options provides a lifeline to those at risk of homelessness and is critical to fostering stronger, more vibrant communities in our city.

That is why we are excited to announce that HomeSpace Society is Vibrant Communities Calgary - VCC newest champion! VCC stewards the City of Calgary's poverty reduction strategy Enough for All.

As a leading affordable housing provider in Calgary, we know that access to safe, affordable, and secure housing is a critical lever of change that decreases the likelihood that families and individuals will fall into or remain in poverty.

We champion a housing-first approach to homelessness in our 34 buildings because we believe people experiencing homelessness need safe and dignified housing FIRST in order to have a chance to stabilize their lives. With nearly 900 units, in 25 communities across the city, HomeSpace provides homes to over 1300 residents. In each of our buildings we also partner with a social serving agency that provide the wrap around supports our residents need to thrive.

Let's work together to end poverty in Calgary.

Dust off your running shoes! HomeSpace is participating in the annual Calgary Marathon Charity Challenge!

There's a few ways to support HomeSpace in the Charity Challenge:
🏡 Create a Team: Gather your friends, family, and colleagues to form a team in support of HomeSpace. Not only is this a great opportunity to give back to the community but also engage in a fun and rewarding team-building activity.

🏡 Choose HomeSpace as your Charity: If forming a team isn't feasible at the moment, you can still support our cause by choosing HomeSpace as your designated charity when registering or making a general donation to our organization.

🏡 Raise Awareness: HomeSpace is a new addition to the Charity Challenge this year! We'd love your help in spreading the word by sharing this post and encouraging your friends, family, and networks to participate in the event.

Every contribution counts, and your support will help us continue our mission of providing safe and affordable housing to those experiencing homelessness.

Join Run Calgary and up today to start fundraising for HomeSpace! https://calgarymarathon.com/challenge/charity-challenge/

Interested in following the public hearings on Calgary rezoning? You can watch it live all week:

Council and Committee webcasts Participate - Meetings where the public can participate are indicated on the top of the meeting agenda and noted on the Council and Committee calendar. These meetings may include Combined Council meetings and Standing Policy Committee meetings.

Calgary is facing a critical housing shortage and urgent action is needed to increase supply across the entire continuum. HomeSpace supports City Council vote in favour of the residential city-wide rezoning, read our full letter below.

Though rezoning is not a silver bullet to the housing crisis, it is a crucial part of the larger effort. A vote in favor of rezoning, in tandem with the City’s Housing Strategy will help many Calgarians avoid homelessness. Addressing the housing crisis is complex, and some may fear change, but Calgarians need council to have political courage at this time.

For more information regarding rezoning, please visit the very informative policy documents put together by our friends (https://buff.ly/441WtXr) and rezoning for housing information page (https://buff.ly/4cVYDMy)

Thank you Mayor , MP , Dennis Aucoin from , and Gary McNamara from for joining us in introducing our in-progress project - Hope Heights.

Hope Heights is a testament to the power of collaboration and a symbol of what can be achieved when all 3 levels of government, the private, and non-profit sectors unite towards a common goal. Hope Heights was made possible through collaborative investments from the Government of Canada, the Province of Alberta, the City of Calgary, as well as our hard working builder partners at Hopewell Residential.

This generous support for affordable housing transforms lives, and we are so honoured at HomeSpace to take on these crucial projects. These 35 units will mean the difference between a woman and child sleeping in their car or a tent or a shelter or and having a safe, beautiful, central, affordable place to call home. For us at HomeSpace – that’s what hope looks like.

Stay tuned as as we near completion this Fall!

For more information on RHI3 and Hope Heights check out our newest blog post: https://www.homespace.org/whats-happening/rapid-housing-initiative-stream-3-announcement-for-calgary

March is Social Worker month and we are so grateful for the social workers that work with all of our partner agencies.

Social work is essential! Every day, social workers support people going through difficult circumstances, providing them with guidance, resources, and encouragement to overcome their challenges. At HomeSpace, we witness firsthand the transformative impact that social workers have on individuals and families in our community. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to uplifting and empowering our residents.

Check out https://www.myswaa.ca/news/social-work-month-2024 #:~:text=Celebrating%20Social%20Work%20Month%20in,March%204th%20to%20March%2010th. for more details!

Calgary, we have BIG news! The City of Calgary has selected HomeSpace Society to develop housing on two City-owned lease sites to support families with children who are at risk of or experiencing homelessness, as part of The City’s Housing Strategy.

Located in the communities of Horizon/Whitehorn and Shawnessy/Evergreen, in close proximity to the C-Train line, we plan to construct 52 units of 2-storey, 3-bedroom townhouses on each site. These homes will provide much-needed affordable housing as well as amenity space, playgrounds, ample parking, and supportive programming ensuring a nurturing environment for families to thrive.

The City of Calgary is making strides in tackling this current housing crisis and we commend their strategic decision to award HomeSpace these sites. By taking on these two projects simultaneously, we are maximizing on economies of scale - creating massive efficiencies in design, materials, consulting, and administration, while reducing construction costs.

HomeSpace is committed to working closely with community associations, BIAs, and local stakeholders to discuss plans and incorporate feedback into our design process.
We will hold extensive community consultation processes to ensure that our homes and residents seamlessly blend into the fabric of the neighborhoods, fostering a sense of belonging and mutual support.

A huge thank you is due to The City of Calgary for allowing HomeSpace to apply our innovative development, fundraising, and affordable housing management expertise to these sites. The two sites combined will increase Calgary's non-market housing stock by some 100 new units, alleviating the housing pressure in our city while offering families a stable foundation to build their futures.

For more details please visit our website: homespace.org/family-lease-sites
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Last week, HomeSpace and had a great time having Urban Studies students from the University of Calgary at Neoma! Students had the chance to tour Canada's first office to affordable housing conversion, and learn all about 's family emergency shelter and wraparound supports. It's great to see future city builders passionate about affordable housing and repurposing space for the better.

Join the HomeSpace team and be a powerful force for good in our community! 🏠💓

We have plenty of exciting career opportunities at HomeSpace. We're looking for dedicated individuals to join our team and make a meaningful impact. We're a thriving non-profit with a work culture centered on professional growth, collaboration and problem-solving, and a healthy work-life balance. Check out or available positions today!

Open positions can be found at: https://www.homespace.org/work-with-us

Looking back on this past year, we wanted to share this heartwarming story from one of our residents that reminds us of the impact of the stability that safe and affordable housing provides.

"My name is Dave. I’m 68 years old and my home with HomeSpace is my 1st permanent home since childhood.

When I found HomeSpace, I stopped drinking. I’ve made friends, I have a routine in my life. No more chaos. I’ve got peace, quiet, and a place to rest. For the first time, I feel secure with a nice place to sleep that I can call my own. I have privacy, never had that before, never. The other tenants are quiet, nice, and respectful. It’s nice to have people who care and who will help me when needed, I’ve never had that before. I’m so grateful to the staff and support for working to help people like me. I may not understand why, but I sure am grateful. At night time my building is so quiet and peaceful, I just sit and enjoy the tranquillity. Sometimes, I don’t even want to sleep because it is so nice, I don’t want to miss it.

Now that I’m 68, my only goal is to be a good person, and find peace away from the chaos of my past life, and HomeSpace helps me do that."

You can help individuals like Dave find stability when they need it most. Here's how:

✔️ Donate to our Adopt-A-Door Campaign
✔️ Request a donation in place of a holiday gift
✔️ Share this story to amplify our call for support

For more information, click the link in our bio.

Happy holidays from HomeSpace💓🏡

There are only 10 days left of our Campaign!

For the residents we support access to 36-43% below market rate housing makes the difference between a home and homelessness. But we couldn’t do it without the support from our community to - and the need is greater than ever.

Swipe through to learn more about what we do, and how your support can make a tangible difference in the housing crisis. Whether you donate to Adopt-A-Door, purchase a tote bag, or share this campaign on your social media, or with your friends, family, and colleagues, your support makes all the difference.

Donate today: https://www.homespace.org/adopt-a-door 🏠💓

A huge thank you is due to Acera Insurance for their generous donation to our Adopt-A-Door Campaign. We are grateful for your commitment to supporting our mission. Because of your donation and ongoing support you are making a huge impact in the lives of vulnerable Calgarians each and everyday.

To make a difference in your community please visit: https://www.homespace.org/adopt-a-door today!

This is how your gift makes an impact.

Every dollar goes towards purchasing, renovating and securing accessible affordable housing units for families, seniors and individuals living in extreme housing need. These homes provide families with a safe and warm environment to thrive and step into a new stage of life, away from homelessness.

If everyone of our followers on Instagram donated just 5$ today, that small contribution could help us provide a whole new home to a family in need! If you aren't in a position to give, we appreciate you sharing our message.💓

Donate today 🏠: https://www.homespace.org/adopt-a-door

Meet Linda.

When Linda immigrated to Canada by herself, she was eager to learn new skills, learn English and begin a new chapter for herself. As she adjusted to her new surroundings, she struggled to secure safe housing that she could afford and eventually found herself experiencing homelessness. Linda, who has struggled with mental health throughout her childhood and adult years, faced the ongoing dilemma of paying for rent or getting the support she needed.

Linda recently completed an adult supportive housing program, a milestone that marks her transition to independent living. To this day, Linda is overwhelmed with gratitude that supports like Homespace and our partner agencies exist, which not only provided her with a secure and affordable home but also served as a nurturing community. Through this program, Linda not only tended to her mental well-being but also fostered connections, practicing English with supportive staff, and learning skills that has rebuilt her confidence to continue her solo journey in a new country.

You can help individuals like Linda who have slipped into homelessness find safe and affordable housing when they need it most. Here's how:

✔️ Donate to our Adopt-A-Door Campaign
✔️ Request a donation in place of a holiday gift
✔️ Share this story to amplify our call for support

https://www.homespace.org/adopt-a-door

Statistics Canada's Market Basket Measure (MBM) measures how much it costs a family of four to cover the necessities of housing, food, clothing and transportation. Calgary's MBM threshold for 2022 reached $55,771, a jump of nearly $4,000 from the year before. This means that Calgary's costs for basic needs is even higher than Toronto and Vancouver.

This holiday season, an increasing number of Calgarians have been impacted by the soaring costs of basic living expenses.

The time to show up for our neighbours is now.

By adopting a door this holiday season, you’re directly supporting the maintenance and development of more affordable housing for the growing number of Calgarians who never expected to face homelessness that are now grappling with impossible choices between high grocery bills, housing costs and food.

Here's how you can help:
✅Donate to our Adopt-A-Door Fundraiser
✅Request a donation in place of a holiday gift
✅Purchase a YIMBY tote bag as a gift
✅Share this story to amplify our call for support

https://www.homespace.org/adopt-a-door

The HomeSpace team is continuing to grow!

HomeSpace Society is a leading organization dedicated to providing affordable housing solutions to low-income individuals and families within our community. We are seeking a dedicated and organized full-time Housing Liaison to join our team and help us achieve our mission of "A Home for Everyone in Our Community".

The Housing Liaison is a vital member of the Property Management Team and balances the unique needs of residents while establishing strong working relations with our partnering agencies.

For more details and to apply visit: https://homespace.bamboohr.com/careers/5