Another supportive housing program aimed at assisting people in transitioning out of homelessness is days away from opening in downtown Whitehorse. Starting on Dec. 1, Safe at Home Society will operate a 17-unit supportive housing program located at 408 Alexander Street, in a building the society will lease from the Yukon Housing Corporation. The housing program itself draws funding from the Yukon government’s health and social services department
Safe at Home executive director Kate Mechan explained that tenants for the program will be selected from the by-name list, a real-time list of people experiencing homelessness in Whitehorse. She explained that the list has a built-in priority system which considers risk factors, including length of time homeless, substance use and health conditions. From there, input will be provided by the Coordinated Housing Access Team who will assess each possible tenant’s need and likelihood of thriving in the program offered. Mechan said filtering of the list is happening this week and the matching of tenants to units takes place early next week.
As most of the units in 408 Alexander have two bedrooms, Mechan said the program is looking at housing couples without children, intergenerational families such as an elder with an adult child and people wanting to live as roommates in order to make the most of the space. She said the goal is to facilitate all such arrangements with a “safety lens” to ensure the tenancies are stable.
Mechan said the program would be grateful for donations of items like kitchenwares, art for the walls, houseplants, furniture in good condition and entertainment items like books, TVs and DVD players.
The building will be staffed 24/7 and will offer a variety of support services. Mechan said it is hoped that this model will facilitate connections with building tenants and mitigate the “real and perceived safety issues" on Alexander Street which is also the site of the Whitehorse Emergency Shelter.
She added that on-site supports will help with life skills like cooking and cleaning as people re-learn life in stable housing. Individual goal-setting, cultural programming and help entering employment opportunities on and off site will also be included. Assistance navigating the justice and healthcare systems will also be offered.
Along with its clients, Mechan said the program is engaging with the neighbourhood around the building, offering a 24/7 line for inquiries and concerns. An open house to introduce the program to the community was held Nov. 14.
Work is also continuing on the Hearth, a much larger Safe at Home facility than 408 Alexander. It will be located in the former High Country Inn on Fourth Avenue. Mechan said the extensive internal and external renovations there are expected to be complete late next winter with occupancy set for Spring 2026. She described the project as on time and on budget.
While they are steps in the right direction, Mechan said that both 408 Alexander and the Hearth are drops in the bucket compared to the need for supportive and affordable housing in Whitehorse, citing the more than 190 people presently on the by-name list.
“We are learning as an organization and the community that it really takes a tremendous amount of support resources to support individuals exiting homelessness,” Mechan said.
Mechan emphasized that while it partners with government departments and entities such as the Yukon Housing Corporation on its projects, Safe at Home is separate from government.
Contact Jim Elliot at jim.elliot@yukon-news.com
