Indigenous Housing and Healing Centre
Multi-purpose Building with Urban Indigenous Housing, Supports and a Healing Centre
The Indigenous Housing and Healing Centre aims to re-establish a First Nations presence in the Downtown Eastside in a way that is bold and inspiring. The multi-purpose development supports Indigenous individuals and families by providing 112 affordable rental units, support services, and a 32,000 square foot Healing Centre in one building.
The Healing Centre will offer a holistic approach to wellness focused on the spiritual, emotional, physical and mental elements of well-being and a two-eyed approach to healing that blends Indigenous and Western medicine. It also includes a Food Centre with a commercial kitchen and dining hall, offices, staff and meeting rooms and amenity spaces.
The site for this development was complex and included a pre-existing building with structural entanglements with an adjacent building, which required Lu’ma Development Management (LDM) to conduct a site analysis and provide recommendations to the client. LDM also worked closely with the project funders and lenders, design team, and construction manager to shepherd the design through a difficult construction budget environment to secure the necessary funding.
Designed to welcome everyone with dignity, respect, honour and love, the building offers a safe and inclusive space. The design, inspired by a longhouse wrapped in a blanket, was the result of a unique visioning process that involved community workshops led by Elders and Knowledge Keepers from the host Nations.
The development will provide 112 new homes, including 59 rental units for Indigenous families with lower incomes and 53 supportive studio units to house vulnerable populations.
LOCATION: On the traditional territory of the the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Peoples, also known as Vancouver, BC
STATUS: Under construction with completion expected in 2025
CLIENT: Aboriginal Land Trust Society
FUNDERS: BC Housing’s Indigenous Housing Fund, CMHC’s Co-Investment Fund, Indigenous Services Canada, and City of Vancouver
OPERATORS: Lu’ma Native Housing Society, Vancouver Aboriginal Health Society, and RainCity Housing and Support Society