FILLING HOUSING NEED

By Erin Ruddy HomeSpace Society, a non-profit housing provider in Calgary, has finished converting a 10-storey vacant office building into rental housing for vulnerable residents. Renamed Neoma—a word that represents kindness and the first phase of the lunar cycle, known as the New Moon—the former Sierra Place building now features 82 units of affordable rental housing, 10 units of shelter spaces and transitional housing, amenities for residents, and programming space for the non-profit group, Inn from the Cold.

Neoma brings more affordable housing to downtown Calgary

The $30 million office-to-housing conversion project received funding from multiple sources, including $16.6 million via the Rapid Housing Initiative; $2 million through the Canada-Alberta Bilateral Housing agreement under the National Housing Strategy; and $5.5 million from the City of Calgary’s downtown revitalization initiative. Private donors also raised nearly $6 million toward the conversion, which completed in September.

“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,” said Jyoti Gondek, Mayor of Calgary. “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.”

“First-of-its-kind” According to HomeSpace Society, Neoma is considered a “first of its kind” project in Canada for a few reasons – namely that no other major office tower has been converted into affordable housing and a family shelter under one roof. This makes it somewhat of a demonstration project for what is possible in the affordable housing space. It also addresses the glut of vacant offices since COVID that many cities, like Calgary, are struggling with.

Additionally, it’s still considered unusual for non-profits to collaborate on such a massive capital campaign. Neoma isn’t just a housing development; it also consists of the Inn from the Cold family shelter and office space, 10 units of transitional housing, and

Calgary’s conversion program

Launched in 2021, the Downtown Calgary Development Incentive Program supports the downtown core’s economic recovery by encouraging the elimination of excess office space through conversion into residential uses. So far, the city has provided grants for seven conversion projects under the program’s first phase, with more announcements expected later this year. Five of the seven projects currently underway will remove approximately 665,000 square feet of office space from the market and create 707 homes.

“Neoma represents hope for families to have a new chance at life supported by a community that cares.”

a floor dedicated to amenities for the residents living at Neoma. The project is unique in that families can go from abject homelessness (i.e. emergency shelter) to transitional housing, to permanent housing all in one place as they stabilize and gradually require less-intensive supports.

All this aptly sums up why the building was given the name Neoma instead of leaving it as Sierra Place—because new beginnings are exactly what these residents are looking for.

“Neoma represents hope for families to have a new chance at life supported by a community that cares,” said Bernadette Majdell, CEO of HomeSpace. “Together, with collaboration between non-profits, all levels of government, and generous donors, we have created a space that offers families a pathway to stability through safe housing. This will be life-changing for those in our community experiencing homelessness and shows what’s possible when we approach vacant office space with creativity and innovation.”

Ideally situated in the downtown core at 706 7 Ave SW, residents of Neoma will benefit from easy access to transit and use of the area’s essential amenities. From ground-breaking to completion, the renovations took just 12 months to complete, thanks in part to the expedited process made possible through the Rapid Housing Initiative.

Neoma will soon be welcoming the folks from Inn from the Cold, followed by shelter families at the end of October. The permanent units will be filled through the remainder of the year with families on waitlists for affordable housing. HomeSpace says it typically works with a local social services agency to handle leasing efforts and provide ongoing social supports for its tenants.

This unique, and commendable, conversion project was developed under Project Thrive—a fundraising campaign created in partnership by HomeSpace and Inn from the Cold. Using a holistic approach to housing insecurity, with transitional housing, affordable housing and social supports all under one roof, homes are provided for families who need them the most. Simultaneously, the downtown core benefits from the investment and revitalization.

Project Thrive was conceived as a practical and creative partnership to directly address issues in the city of Calgary, including lack of affordable housing options, depressed economic conditions, and the competition for funding between community organizations.

Find out more by visiting www.homespacesociety.com