Chandler House, a shared accommodation for eight individuals who experienced chronic homelessness, opened in 2014 and is set to this June.
Alexandra Skinner-Reynolds with BC Housing explains Inn from the Cold came to BC Housing two years ago to ask for assistance because donations alone were not covering their costs with the Chandler House.
鈥淏C Housing provided one-time funding to get the society through to the end of the lease in 2017,鈥� she stated in an email. 鈥淎t the same time, BC Housing informed the society that it would need to find another location when the lease expired.鈥�
When IFTC started the Chandler House the society was entirely funded by donations with no financial involvement from BC Housing.
Jan Schulz, Executive Director of IFTC, says the one-time funding of $66,000 annually ends on March 30.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just the end of the agreement and we continue work very strongly with BC Housing to find other accommodation,鈥� explained Schulz.
With the funding finished the Chandler House is unable to operate.
However the lease with the private property owner, which was drawn up three years ago, comes to an end in June and the owner does not wish to renew.
鈥淭he owners of the house were not interested in a lease shorter than three years, at the same cost,鈥� said Skinner-Reynolds.
Both BC Housing and IFTC are working together to find a better and more suitable space.
鈥淭hey are helping us look and this is something we are continuing to work together on,鈥� said Schulz.
There is always the option for the eight individuals who currently live at the Chandler House to apply for an alternative place to live through 91大黄鸭鈥檚 coordinated access program 鈥� where BC Housing works in tandem with other societies and housing providers.
鈥淲hat we are looking for, and working with BC Housing, is for a facility that can have more people besides just our current residents,鈥� said Schulz. 鈥淲e are hoping for more than eight units鈥o residents have a home within a home.鈥�
鈥淚f we do go with a larger facility then economies of scale will help, as this kind of facility is not cheap to run,鈥� she said.
The residents of Chandler House have subsidized rent and there is support from fundraising and donors, as BC Housing wasn鈥檛 covering the full cost of the facility.
The IFTC administration offices and the Chandler House Free Store are also located at the Chandler House and will need a new location after June.
鈥淔inding an office is not an issue, it is finding a new home for these guys (that is an issue) and that is a top priority for sure.鈥�
The free store may remained closed until a new housing facility can be found due to the current circumstance.
