Update January 2024
The City of Peterborough’s new Modular Bridge Housing Community, which consists of 50 individual modular units, a washroom/shower facility and a service hub for support agencies, is now providing homes for people who were experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
Many positive impacts of the stability and security of the modular home initiative are already being observed in the first few weeks of occupancy in January, 2024.
- Staff are noticing a marked difference in the mental health of several residents.
- Many residents are making positive social connections with other residents as well as staff from Elizabeth Fry and other support agencies.
- Several residents are reconnecting with family members. Residents are reporting that the safety of a locked door is making a difference to their sleep and how freeing it is to walk around without having to carry or worry about belongings, as they are locked in their unit on site.
- The community is a place of pride for many, with many residents setting up, personalizing their unit and making it into their home
- Having a stable home is allowing for many residents to start looking ahead, set personal goals and start working towards them. Success by residents has already been observed with pursuing and securing employment, working towards stabilizing medical conditions, personal development and life stabilization.
“Many of the residents in the new community have lived unsheltered for extended periods and have complex situations related to lived experience, mental health and substance use. Each individual will walk their own path and there will be ups and downs. My sincere thanks to our community partners, especially staff at Elizabeth Fry, for providing support and respecting the individual needs of the residents,” said Councillor Alex Bierk, Homelessness Portfolio Vice Chair.
“The Modular Bridge Housing Community is a new approach that is thoughtfully planned with the residents in mind. The units are well-built, and the community has a framework in place to offer a lot of structure, support and autonomy for residents. I’m pleased to see positive impacts of the Modular Bridge Housing Community in these early days, and excited about this project as well as the numerous other housing projects the City is undertaking,” said Councillor Keith Riel, City Council’s Homelessness Portfolio Chair.
