FAQS
What does Sanford Housing Society (SHS) do?
Sanford Housing Society is a registered charitable organization. The society’s role is to develop innovative, cost-effective housing for people with a mental illness and to provide property management services that meet the continuous needs of the peoples it serves.
What is the society’s mission and mandate?
Mission: We believe that all individuals with a mental illness have a right to decent, affordable housing that provides them dignity and independence.
Mandate: To provide quality, affordable, supported housing to persons with a mental illness and/or addictions, for low income individuals and/or families and for functionally handicapped persons.
Who is Katherine Sanford?
The society’s namesake is the former director of Mental Health Residential Services. Katherine Sanford has dedicated many years to improving housing for people with mental illnesses.
What type of housing does SHS provide?
Sanford Housing Society develops a range of housing options, from community homes that are staffed 24 hours a day to independent apartments that provide varying levels of support services.
What is “supported housing”?
Supported housing combines secure, affordable housing with a variety of personal services that may include a daily meal program, an emergency monitoring and response system, assistance with housekeeping and laundry, and social and recreation activities.
How do I apply for supported housing?
The Supportive Housing Registration (SHR) application and registration service provides a single point of access for supportive housing funded through BC Housing. The goal is to facilitate the transition from homelessness to supportive housing by allowing applicants and the agencies supporting them to submit only one application, rather than registering with multiple providers:
Supportive Housing Registry
Supportive Housing for Seniors
Mental Health Housing Services maintains a housing wait list from which people are referred to Sanford Housing Society or other available housing. Whenever possible, individuals are housed according to the level of support they require. The contact number to apply for housing is:
Mental Health Housing Services
2750 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V5K 1Z9
Tel: 604.675.3898
What is Sanford Property Management Ltd.?
Sanford Property Management Ltd. provides property management services to other non-profit housing agencies for a fee, drawing on many years of experience in managing its own properties, maintaining buildings and systems, and operating efficiently and cost effectively.