Welcome Housing & Support Services
Welcome Housing offers deeply affordable housing and associated services aimed at reducing & eliminating homelessness in the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM).
welcome housing
Our Services
Affordable Housing
The community’s definition of affordable housing is non-market housing that is rent geared to income. The current affordability measure is 30% but our buildings are offered at 25% of your income. There are a number of solutions to homelessness, but the easiest is providing safe and affordable social housing.
Housing Support
Housing support aims to assist individuals and families in finding and maintaining safe affordable housing. Supports may include applying to rental assistance, information on shelter services and other resources, housing applications, and eviction prevention. Housing support workers aim to address housing needs and advocate for individuals in need.
Shelter Diversion Support
Shelter Diversion Support is a program that assists individuals and families experiencing homelessness by providing temporary shelter whilst they search for alternative housing. Shelter diversion arose from the number of individuals experiencing homelessness surpassing the number of available shelter beds. It can act as transitional housing as long term housing options are created and or found.
Intimate Partner Violence Housing Support
When partner violence means your housing has become unsafe, it can feel almost impossible to find a way forward. Safety planning that is tailored to meet your needs is often the first step. We can also help with apartment search, applications for priority access or rent supplement, and creative connection with available resources to find the right fit.
Trusteeship
Trustee services is a voluntary budgeting program for folks experiencing housing insecurity. We understand you can only cover the bills you can afford; in that vein we seek to find every income source our clientele are entitled to. Many government resources can be difficult to navigate. Therefore, we strive to set realistic budgets and landlord partnerships with clients.
Impactful Engagement
Impactful engagement refers to inReach and Outreach services. inReach services include housing clinics available at libraries, family resource centres, partner agency transitional housing providers upon request. Outreach consists of engagement with folks who are sleeping rough in the community to encourage a dialogue around future housing options. Providing networking with other community partners and agencies.
Training Opportunities
WHSS has been in the community for over thirty five years, first operating as Metro non-profit housing association. We have run non-profit housing during that time as well as opening both Dartmouth and Halifax Housing help. Our Trustee and Housing Support services have been available for over fifteen years. We are always open to individuals looking to explore and expand their knowledge in the field. To inquire please email training@welcomehousing.ca.
about us
Welcome Housing
Our Mission
Welcome Housing operates with a housing first approach meaning we attempt to first house individuals and then provide additional support and services as needed. We believe individuals are better prepared to move forward with their lives when they have a home. Thus, our services are aimed at providing, securing, and maintaining housing for clients.
Keys to a housing secure future for all Nova Scotians
This report examines the question what would it take to ensure that everyone has meaningful access to safe, permanently affordable, secure, supported and adequate housing in Nova Scotia? The findings prioritize public, non-market affordable housing, funded by general...
Nova Scotians now need to be paying 50% of income on housing to qualify for rent supplement
When housing support worker Leigh MacLean noticed a change on Nova Scotia's rent supplement application form, she thought it was a misprint. The threshold to qualify for the program had been hiked from 30 to 50 per cent of a person's pre-tax income being spent on...
Volunteering
By offering your time and skills to a cause or organization that you care about, you can help make a difference in the lives of others.
Fundraising
Fundraising can be a powerful tool in helping to secure funding for affordable housing initiatives, providing much-needed support for those in need of safe and stable housing.
Donations
Donating to organizations that provide housing assistance can make a significant impact on those in need.
Make A Difference
We are not-for-profit based out of Dartmouth & Halifax. We work with individuals experiencing homelessness in and around the Halifax Regional Municipality. We strive to secure safe and affordable housing for individuals among other services.