HRM expects first emergency housing units to be ready by Dec. 20

The first emergency housing units Halifax regional council is providing for people currently living in temporary shelters could be installed in downtown Dartmouth by Dec. 20.

The municipality shared the update Tuesday, as it revealed preliminary work is underway at the Alderney Drive location where the units will be set upnear Church Street.

Four of the trailer-like modular units are expected to arrive in the area on Nov. 30 and will be stored close to the site until the bases for them are built, which is due to happen at the beginning of December.

Once they are placed at the site, work can then start on hooking up the homes to utilities.

The municipality is targeting Dec. 20 as a completion date for the units but cannot say when people will be able to move in yet.

No Halifax location announced yet

Part of that depends on the province, which will decide who will move into the homes and also has the job of connecting those people to the wraparound support services that will be available on site through the Out of the Cold Community Association.

The four units in Dartmouth will have a capacity for 24 people.

No location has yet been disclosed for Halifax, where it's expected six units will be made available with space for another 36 people. Another meeting is happening this week on next steps for those units, with the municipality, the province and Out of the Cold at the table.

Nine encampments are currently scattered around the municipality, comprising a total of 49 tents and six shelters, according to the update provided by the Halifax Regional Municipality. The release said 28 people are living at the camps and that 11 others transitioned to alternative accommodations between Nov. 15 and Nov. 21.

An emergency overnight shelter was set up at the George Dixon centre in north-end Halifax Monday night to provide a warm and dry place from the storm for people experiencing homelessness.

A warming centre is also operating out of St. Matthews United Church on Barrington Street between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Wednesday.

HRM staff along with other agencies continue to visit encampments daily to check on people and offer support.