Saint John adds 14 transitional housing units near Rothesay Avenue

Saint John will add 14 new bridge housing units near Rothesay Avenue; residents are scheduled to move in by the end of March and provincial oversight shifts in April.

The City of Saint John is adding 14 units of transitional housing near Rothesay Avenue for people moving from unstable housing toward independent living. The new units each include a private bathroom and kitchen and will join two nearby Neighbourly Homes communities on Thorne Avenue and Egbert Street. Those communities currently provide small sleeping units with shared facilities and on-site support. The project is described as part of the city's Housing for All Strategy. Key details: - Fourteen new "bridge housing" units will be added, each with its own bathroom and kitchen. - The new units are in the same area near Rothesay Avenue as existing Neighbourly Homes on Thorne Avenue and Egbert Street, near bus routes and a grocery store. - The Neighbourly Homes communities together contain 54 small sleeping units with shared bathrooms, kitchen and common areas. - Occupancy reported as of early this year was 26 of 27 units on Egbert Street and 24 of 27 on Thorne Avenue. - The city currently has oversight of the sites; the provincial government will assume responsibility at the beginning of April, with 12 Neighbours handling day-to-day operations. - Residents are scheduled to move into the new units by the end of March. Summary: The expansion is intended to add a step between shelters and permanent housing while providing supports to help residents build daily living skills, according to project organizers and city officials. Provincial oversight will begin in April and operations will be managed by 12 Neighbours, with residents expected to occupy the new units by the end of March.