A Regina-based charity received some good news from city council this week.
Their discretionary use application for 1909 Ottawa Street was unanimously approved by members of council.
The plan for the site — named Lilium Village — is to build six duplexes where a parking lot currently sits, for single mothers and their children.
MayBell Developments board president Victoria Aspinall said the hope is to start construction in the spring and have families move in by the fall.
Each of the 12 units will have its own kitchen, bathroom and laundry room with three bedrooms. A green space will be available for families to use.
MayBell is also renovating a hall in the adjacent church into a daycare centre with 50 spots available for the families living in Lilium Village as well as the surrounding community.
Aspinall said MayBell started in 2015 with an objective to build homes for the homeless in Regina.
“That’s really developed since then to become more of programming and really focused on relationships and building into the whole person instead of just simply focusing on housing,” Aspinall told Global News.
Lilium Village will be the charity’s first community development.
Courses to be offered to tenants include financial education, soft-job skills, and tenancy training.
Lilium Village will be considered long-term transitional, allowing tenants to stay from two to five years.
“This length of time is designed for mothers to be able to bridge that gap between relying on social assistance to become self-sufficient,” Aspinall said.
“During that two to five years, they are able to set goals and to work towards bringing in a higher monthly income so that they are able to afford market rent.”
Rent for the units will be set at 30 per cent of the household income.
Aspinall explained the charity will be working with other community associations such as Carmichael Outreach and Cowessess Chief Red Bear Children’s Lodge to find families suited for Lilium Village.
Families must be considered as low-income during intake, but Aspinall said Maybell is aware they may eventually not fit in that bracket as they work to increase their income.
Though MayBell is a Christian organization, Aspinall said they know not everyone will align with their faith values and will accept tenants regardless of their faith.
The charity is still looking for funding through all levels of government to realize Lilium Village.
With their motto ‘community by community’, MayBell is also hoping residents can help out. They are looking to raise another $500,000.
More information about MayBell Developments can be found on their website.