SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Despite opening less than a year ago, Lynn's Place is already in need of an expansion, according to the organization that runs it.

Lynn's Place, a transitional apartment building, opened one year ago, but already YWCA Yellowknife says there is a need for the building to be doubled because of low-income housing demand. The organization is hoping for a doubling of the 18-unit facility to help alleviate the homeless or people who can't enter the private market. - Simon Whitehouse/NNSL photo

The YWCA, which advocates for low-income families and women and children in distress, held its 49th annual general meeting Saturday at Northern United Place.

Organizers say there has been serious "gridlock" over the past year in available housing for low-income families and it has become difficult for people to move into new housing types because of high cost and limited availability.

Janet Toner, president of the organization said when the 18-unit Lynn's Place - a post-emergency-shelter transitional home for women - opened last October, it immediately filled and has since developed a waiting list of 50 people.

She said the housing shortage is a key issue as elections take place and colder weather pushes homeless people inside to couch surf or seek other forms of shelter.

"In terms of moving forward, what we specifically want is we would love to have the expansion of Lynn's Place," she said, adding that doubling it would be ideal, space permitted. "When it was built, it was kind of only half built and there is another component that we are hoping we can get off the ground and expand and build another transitional housing unit."

The GNWT provided nearly half of the $4.3 million needed for the building's startup phase, with other support from the federal government, NWT Housing Corporation, and the municipal government. But housing shortages continue in the city, said Toner, and there is a need for increased attention by all levels of government to address housing needs and affordable living.

The YWCA runs three main social housing establishments which include Alison McAteer House, on 51 Avenue, which is a 12-bed emergency shelter for women, Rockhill Apartments on 54 Avenue, which is a 34-apartment transitional housing unit for homeless families, and Lynn's Place, or Lynn Brooks's Safe Place for Women on 54 Street. Lynn's Place has 12 apartments designated for families, two of which are three-bedroom and 10 of which are two-bedroom. The other six are bachelors designed for singles.

"In every area there is need," Toner said. "In every area we are full. The shelter is full most of the time. At Rockhill we rarely have a vacancy and we have not had a vacancy in Lynn's Place since it opened. It just shows the desperate need in all of those areas for housing."

Kate Wilson, director of housing at the organization, said people seeking a safe haven from domestic situations is particularly bad.

"For people escaping violence it is the worst," she said. "There is just nothing for them at all."

Julie Green, former director of community relations, who is running for Yellowknife Centre MLA, said housing conditions can especially be bad come the wintertime.

"When it is cold, people spend more time inside with couch surfing and overcrowding becomes more of a problem and we find the waiting list goes up at that point," she said.

"We are really encouraging people talk to their candidates about solutions. Housing seems to take a backseat to infrastructure and development."

waiting list at ywca houses

Housing numbers: 12 beds

Waiting list: waiting list figures not compiled, but residences are full

Rockhill apartments

Housing numbers: 34 apartments

Waiting list: more than 100 applicants (stop counting after 100)

Lynn's Place

Housing numbers: 18 apartments

Waiting list: 50 applications

Source: YWCA