New Community Housing Hub, Emergency Shelter in Cumberland County

Vulnerable Nova Scotians experiencing or at risk of homelessness will now have more housing support in Amherst.

A new community housing hub opened today, March 14, with six affordable housing units, including accessible units. The project also includes office and community space that will transition into a 10-bed overnight emergency shelter.

“We want to ensure that people experiencing homelessness have the help they need to advance to permanent housing,” said Brendan Maguire, Minister of Community Services. “The people of Amherst will now have a place where they can receive supports, an option for emergency sheltering and connections to other community partners.”

Community Services is providing the Cumberland Homelessness and Housing Support Association with more than $910,000 in annual operating costs for staffing, wraparound services and supportive programming, as well as intensive case management services. Funding also supports the emergency shelter, allowing the permanent shelter to provide two meals a day, 365 days a year. The project is also receiving more than $560,000 from the Affordable Housing Development program through Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Quotes:

“We’re pleased to help community partners like the Cumberland Homelessness and Housing Support Association bring more affordable and supportive housing solutions to Nova Scotians. An innovative solution like the community housing hub is another example of the bold action we’re taking to increase affordability and create more housing, faster.”
— John Lohr, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing

"We hope that the opening of the 10 Prince Arthur St. location will change the way we perceive homelessness in Cumberland County. With a permanent shelter, community resource hub and supportive housing model all under one roof, we will be able to provide the wraparound supports – mental health and addictions, public health, VON, NS Works, CAN-U (Cumberland Adult Network for Upgrading), Legal Aid, YMCA, the food bank, restorative justice, Maggie's Place, the Cumberland Library, The Sexual Health Centre, and In the Works social enterprise network) needed in order to best meet the needs of people experiencing housing insecurity in our community."
— Ashley Legere, Executive Director, Cumberland Homelessness and Housing Support Association

Quick Facts:

• this location brings the total number of shelter beds in the province to 558
• with these units, there are currently 685 supportive housing units across the province, with 520 created since fall 2021

Additional Resources:

News release – The Bridge Integrated Services Shelter Extended: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/03/07/bridge-integrated-services-shelter-extended

News release – Additional Shelter Space in Truro: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/02/09/additional-shelter-space-truro

News release – More Supports for People Experiencing Homelessness: https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20231207001

News release – Emergency Winter Shelter Opening in HRM: https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20231103001

News release – More Funding for Supportive Housing, Shelter Options: https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20231011002