The Hook

VANCOUVER- It's two days in a row of good news housing announcements from the city and province.

A day after breaking ground - albeit almost a year after first proposed - on the first of an expected 14 new supportive housing sites in Vancouver, B.C. Housing Minister Rich Coleman and Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson dug out the ceremonial shovels again yesterday, this time to dig in to a new $31-million facility for the Union Gospel Mission.

The six-storey building will allow the Christian charity to expand its shelter capacity and its live-in alcohol and drug recovery program.

UGM president Bill Mollard said the organization currently has space for 115 in its recovery program, well short of the 406 people who applied for the program last year.

James Whittman is one of UGM's success stories. He entered the program four years ago after, he said, being homeless and camping out in city parks.

Now, he's attended college, works full-time as an outreach worker and is engaged to be married in the fall.

"What the mission has given me is a second chance," Whittman said.

The UGM is still looking to raise one-third of the building costs through private donors.

Meanwhile, an announcement on whether the remaining shelter in a Downtown South neighbourhood stays open is expected today.

Irwin Loy reports for Vancouver 24 Hours