Former motel becomes 25 units of homeless housing in Niagara Falls

A vacant Niagara Falls motel is turning into 25 units of supportive housing directed at sheltering the chronically homeless.

Thanks to a $4 million grant from the Province, the former two-storey Grewal’s Inn and Suite (before that, the Stardust Inn) at 5528 Buchanan Ave. is being renovated into bachelor apartments for individuals, larger accommodations for families, as well as accessible units.

Now called the Buchanan Permanent Supportive Housing facility, the supportive housing complex also includes space for counselling and social programming for tenants.

The city says residents will be close to public transportation, parks, grocery stores, pharmacies, the hospital, and employment opportunities.

Mayor Jim Diodati was a big fan of the motel being converted into apartments for the homeless, saying, “Tackling homelessness requires day-to-day and also long-term solutions. This building supported by the Ontario Government will go a long way to create lasting change for those who need support and housing.”

“We are grateful for the real action that is being taken to build homes and establish supportive housing in our City.”

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Niagara-on-the-Lake Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa, also the Chair of the Niagara Regional Housing Board, was equally happy, noting, “Niagara continues to see a significant increase in demand for housing every year. The Housing Master Plan estimated that Niagara will need to add more than 11,000 affordable housing units to support the forecasted demand by the year 2045.”

“This retrofit project is a step in the right direction. It saw an unused motel transformed into a safe, affordable place to live; a place where tenants have access to supports and resources as they work towards their goals for a healthier life in our community.”