Women’s Housing
RainCity Housing offers programs specifically for women, recognizing the unique challenges faced by homeless women living with mental illness, addiction and other challenges.
The Vivian Transitional Housing Program for Women (The Vivian)
The “Viv” provides supported housing for at-risk, chronically homeless women. It is the first minimal barrier housing program in Vancouver specifically designed for women living with concurrent mental illness, addiction and other challenges.
The facility was developed in response to the unique needs of women and is women-only, including both residents and staff. It offers a minimal barrier, high tolerance environment and follows a harm-reduction/health promotion philosophy.
The Vivian screens women in, not out of the program based on the complexities of their needs, histories and behaviours. The program is flexible, non-judgmental and responsive to the unique challenges faced by homeless women.
This project focuses on meeting the needs of individual women who are at significant risk and who, based on their housing history, are least likely to succeed in housing, mental health or addiction programs and services. Residents represent the most marginalized people in the community. They are disproportionately Aboriginal, HIV infected, survival sex trade workers, with untreated mental health issues and victimized by layers of past and present violence.
The Vivian welcomes pets, which is rare among service providers.
