Located in the historic Stovel Block building, sakihta kikinaw — Cree for “house of love" — offers 27 housing units for female-identifying people* who are experiencing homelessness and poverty in Edmonton.

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Currently, there are limited options for safe housing for women who are experiencing homelessness, as women often have to navigate high-risk environments to access a warm place to sleep; this need for housing services is amplified by the complications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

In response to this need, Boyle Street, alongside The Gather Co., developed Stovel Block to provide flexible, low-income housing for women as a safe space to stay for as long as they need before transitioning into long-term housing. Boyle Street will provide programming and 24/7 on-site workers to help support residents. Individual suites and a common kitchen space will allow residents to further develop a sense of community, confidence and self-worth as they work to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness. 

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The Gather Co. is an Edmonton-based progressive real estate development company that builds spaces, cultivates innovation, and supports its entrepreneurs. The Gather Co. is owned and operated by the Pope family, who are longtime supporters of Boyle Street Community Services. Their generosity was crucial in allowing us to create this vital service. 

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sakihta kikinaw practices a new housing model Boyle Street is calling “flexible housing.” Beyond traditional short-term housing models, which house people for several months, flexible housing is an intervention service that gives community members a safe space to stay for as long as they need — from several months to several years — before transitioning into long-term housing.

 

Staying longer in flexible housing allows community members who are experiencing chronic homelessness and complex needs to get connected to all the services they need to succeed in long-term housing models.