September 29, 2022. After just 12 months of renovations, Calgary has one less vacant office tower and 82 more affordable homes. The 10-storey office tower formerly known as Sierra Place, located at 706 7th Avenue SW, has been completely renovated into 82 units of affordable housing for vulnerable Calgarians plus Inn from the Cold emergency shelter and transitional housing for families facing homelessness.

“It took the support of the entire community to make this first-of-its-kind project a success,” says Bernadette Majdell, CEO of HomeSpace. “Calgary has demonstrated that vacant office space can be repurposed to help address the housing crisis in Canada. Together, with support from all levels of government and several generous private donors we have created a space that offers families a pathway to stability through safe housing.”

Three floors of the Neoma building will be home to Inn from the Cold’s program and administration space that includes family emergency shelter, offices, transitional shelter, and wrap-around supports for families facing a housing crisis. With five floors of permanent supportive housing and amenities for residents. The Grand Opening of Neoma was held September 29th, with Inn from the Cold’s operations moving in this October, followed by residents in affordable housing units in coming months.

“The way the community has come together to support families facing a housing crisis and make our new home possible has just been incredible,” says Heather Morley, Executive Director of Inn from the Cold. “Our new purpose-built space allows us to better serve families in need and we are confident the unique holistic approach facilitated by this building, will help break the cycle of family homelessness.

The conversion of Neoma would not have been possible without the $16.6M of Rapid Housing Investment from the Government of Canada, $2M from the province and federal government through the Canada-Alberta Bilateral Housing agreement under the National Housing Strategy, and $5.5M from the City of Calgary as part of its downtown revitalization initiative. Private donors also stepped up to raise nearly $6M towards this $30M-project, which is on time and on budget.

Quotes:

“Everyone in Canada deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Thanks to the Rapid Housing Initiative, we are making this into reality by supporting those who need it most by quickly providing affordable homes for individuals in need across Canada, including in Calgary, to keep them safe. This is one of the many ways our National Housing Strategy continues to ensure no one is left behind.”

– The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Housing, Diversity and Inclusion

“Through the Rapid Housing Initiative, our government is investing in affordable housing here in Calgary and across Canada to help create jobs and improve quality of life for those who need it most. Thanks to today’s announcement, we are providing a chance to the most vulnerable members of our community who are struggling with homelessness to bring a positive change to their lives and to the community. Having access to safe, supportive and affordable homes is key to their recovery. This is the National Housing Strategy in action.”

– George Chahal, Member of Parliament for Calgary–Skyview

“Neoma is a great example of strategic partnerships, community expertise, and innovative thinking in action. Alberta’s government is proud to support this community-driven project and help Calgarians find stability and get back on their feet.” 

-Josephine Pon, Minister of Seniors and Housing

“By investing in projects like Neoma, we're creating a downtown where low-income families, seniors and newcomers can build their lives with access to key amenities just a short walk away. The City, in partnership with HomeSpace, private donors and the Federal government, provided significant investment to convert a vacant office building into affordable housing units, which is the first conversion of its kind in Canada. Calgary is proud to be leading the country with this project that will serve as a blueprint for cities looking to address both the housing crisis as well as downtown revitalization.”

- Jyoti Gondek, Mayor of Calgary

About Home Space Society 

HomeSpace is a charitable developer, rental housing owner and property manager. HomeSpace provides safe, appropriate and affordable housing for the most vulnerable Calgarians and owns a portfolio of more than 765 units in 25 communities across the city. For more information visit our website.

About Inn from the Cold

For over 25 years, Inn from the Cold has been helping vulnerable families find stability in times of crisis. As the largest organization in the Calgary region that is dedicated solely to families experiencing a housing crisis, we believe that a community where no child or family is homeless is possible. To help bring our vision to life we provide three main programs: homelessness prevention and diversion, emergency family shelter, and supportive housing. Visit innfromthecold.org for more information.