Former Halifax hotel opens as supportive housing project

People have begun moving into a new supportive housing facility at a former hotel in Halifax's south end.

The former Waverley Inn on Barrington Street is now open and will offer housing forwomen and gender-diverse people.

The YWCA Halifax is providing on-site support staff for the program.

"We're excited that the Waverley is open," said Danielle Hodges, the YWCA's senior director of programs. "We've worked really hard over the last couple of months in partnership with the province, with HRM, to get the property ready."

The facility will have room for 32 people.

Priorityis being given to those on a list of people sleeping rough in HRM. The list is kept by the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia.

According to the list, 1,138 people were homeless in Halifax as of Feb. 13.

"We're helping to break cycles of homelessness," Hodges said, adding people will be moving in gradually over the next couple of weeks.

Support workers will be there to help people settle, she said, and help connectthem to resources.

A Nova Scotia government news release last November said the province will invest $1.9 million to support staffing programming and leasing costs.

The project is a collaboration with Grafton Developments, the release said. The developer will provide use of the building for at least three years.