Joan's Place residents to move in next month, Youth Opportunities Unlimited says

A supportive housing project in downtown London targeting young and expectant mothers at risk of homelessness is nearing completion with move-ins set to begin next month.

The long-awaited opening of Joan's Place will see 39 affordable housing units at the northwest corner of Richmond and York streets, with resources and supports aimed at helping residents transition to stable and permanent housing. Thirty-five of the units are newly built.

Named after Ontario's first female solicitor general, Joan Smith, whose family has supported the effort from the start, the opening will cap off a project nearly a decade in the making.

"Joan's Place is going to have a significant impact in this community," said Steve Cordes, executive director of Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU), whose headquarters are across the street. 

"I'm a marathon runner. I equate this to, we're at about mile 24 of the marathon, so we got a last little bit to go, but we're able to see the end in sight."

Construction began in September 2022, converting a former theatre-turned-sports bar into a multi-storey building with ground floor supports, including employment counselling, commercial space on the second floor, and a family room on the top floor. An adjoining building was refurbished and will house four units. 

Members of YOU's youth wellness hub and housing team, located in the agency's headquarters, will also offer programs regularly, Cordes said. 

Originally slated to open in the fall, the building is due to be turned over in the next four weeks, with the list of residents finalized by the end of January, and units ready for occupancy in mid-February, Cordes said.

"The goal of Joan's Place at the end of the day is creating stability for people. The sooner we have that information, we can tell someone their life's about to change," Jordan Boyd, YOU's housing services program manager, of the resident list.

The agency is working with the city to identify potential residents through the municipal housing wait list, with an eye for people aged 16 to 24 who are Indigenous, 2SLGBTQ+, a member of another marginalized group, or survivors of intimate partner violence.

"Overarching all of that is … a focus on individuals who are pregnant, who have had children, have children with them, or have had children but don't have custody currently," Boyd said. Local shelters have been told of the criteria so they can share the names of people who may be a good fit. 

"We're exploring all those avenues before we look at anyone else."

Potential residents will be offered a one-year or three-year participation agreement, depending on their circumstances. Someone who is pregnant, for example, will likely need more than a year to get comfortable, learn skills to take care of an infant and move into the community, Boyd said.

Officials said, however, people won't simply be tossed out because their one year is up, and YOU will work with residents to determine the resources and supports they need to live independently.

Each resident will be assigned a caseworker to guide them through move in, and help if they need to buy furniture or other items. Beds will be provided, but it's unclear what other furnishings will be.

"Hopefully we'll have some things, but we haven't figured out exactly what that looks like. I know our goal is that no one will walk into a completely unfurnished apartment," Boyd said. 

"Our goal is that move-ins are going to be very quick once that open date happens."

Nearly $20 million was raised for the project, including $8 million from the provincial and federal governments, and $1 million from the Smith family.

Cordes said the fact the building has been so close to completion was "almost overwhelming at times." During early focus groups of young Londoners, he recalled young mothers telling him they felt isolated and had no one they could trust for answers about parenthood. 

"Those young people that I know are going to get amazing news," he said. "That when they have their baby they're not going to be separated, they're going to be in a supportive home that they can afford ... It's wonderful to see it all come into reality.

The agency says it's seeking community donations to help residents pick out and pay for their own household items such as kitchenware and furniture.