Kelly L. never had a place to call her own. Battling a 28-year drug addiction and being precariously employed without any family support in Toronto, Kelly could not access safe, affordable housing.

As a single woman living on the streets of Toronto for over a decade, her personal safety was often at risk. But that all changed in December 2014 when a social worker connected Kelly to WoodGreen’s housing team. Kelly moved into her WoodGreen apartment five years ago, and immediately everything in her life stabilized.

“I’ve never lived independently, and always put myself in dangerous situations for a place to sleep. But now I have this sense of pride. Of paying my own bills and having an account under my own name. Most importantly, I have a safe affordable place to call my own.”

WoodGreen is one of the largest non-municipal providers of affordable housing in Toronto with 12 sites across the east-end of Toronto with 1,000 people living in WoodGreen units. To meet the challenge for affordable housing in Toronto, WoodGreen is currently building new units at 1117 Gerrard Street East. Formerly home to the Riverdale United Church, the location will be transformed into a five storey, 36 unit affordable housing complex for seniors. The building is being constructed not only with an aesthetically appealing neighbourhood-fit, but also in accordance with the highest accessibility and to Toronto Green Standards.

WoodGreen’s affordable housing is unique because all tenants have access to the full basket of WoodGreen’s 75 programs and services including food programs and Meals on Wheels, social-recreational programs, congregate dining, social work & mental health supports, transportation, financial empowerment & tax preparation, employment help, key supports for seniors who are isolated and frail, and newcomer settlement services.

From community lunches hosted on Friday afternoons to social resident groups, Kelly says participating in activities helps she and her neighbours establish a true sense of community. “My family lives far away and I’m on my own in the city. But there’s such a supportive nature in the building, and we look out for one another.”

This year Kelly will proudly be entering her sixth year of sobriety and today, she is recognized as being a strong voice for improving affordable housing conditions and accessibility in the Toronto area. Kelly is a member of the Lived Experience Advisory Group (LEAG) at the City of Toronto, which focuses on the effective development, implementation, and monitoring of the City of Toronto's Poverty Reduction Strategy.

102,000 PEOPLE

are on the waitlist for
supportive housing in our city.

— City of Toronto