Win House has begun preparing the site of a future 64-unit mid-term housing development in northeast Edmonton for women and children fleeing violence. The Miller Project is expected to start providing what’s called second- and third-stage housing – or affordable transitional housing – in early 2029. The five-storey apartment-style development will consist of 64 one-, two- and three-bed units that will house more than 150 people for two to three years. “There is a huge gap in our community right now where we don’t have a lot of safe places for people to go after an emergency shelter, so we’re seeing longer stays in our emergency shelter. This building will help create the sustainability of a safe exit,” said Win House interim CEO Ashley Baxter on Thursday, while construction crews broke ground on the project near 50 Street and 149 Avenue. Last year, Win House sheltered 330 women and 225 children. Baxter recalled one case in which a woman with three children stayed in the organization’s emergency shelter for eight months, unable to find their next home. Overall, Win House is seeing a 40-per cent increase in length of shelter stays. It says only four out of 100 women can access second-stage housing. And, new data collected by the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters shows the cost of living is making it harder for women to leave abusive relationships. Units at The Miller Project will be assigned on a referral basis and available at a portion of a tenant’s income. “We will ensure that their income is going toward all the places that matter and being able to build financial stability,” Baxter said. The ground floor will consist of Win House offices, communal spaces and program rooms. The $34-million project has received funding from all three levels of government and is being built on a school surplus site. November is Family Violence Prevention Month. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Evan Klippenstein
