FAQs

Yes, the property at 1056 Palmerston Crescent has been purchased by the City of Kingston as a new supportive housing site. Ryandale Transitional Housing, in partnership with the City of Kingston has been identified as the intended operator for this new supportive housing site. Currently there are over 235 supportive housing units across Kingston operating out of 28 sites. The City is moving forward at present with three new properties, one of which is located on Palmerston Crescent.

Council has provided specific direction to continue moving emergency shelter and transitional/supportive housing across a broader geography to ensure that the concentration of housing services does not further concentrate and thereby stigmatize vulnerable populations. Properties acquired by the City for a supportive housing must meet some key criteria including being geographically dispersed, on or near transit routes, appropriately sized to support smaller-scale operation for ease of community integration. Once a property is found that meets these criteria the property is brought to City Council for consideration in closed session. Once the property is selected for acquisition it’s then voted on in open session.   Please see following link to relevant Council report providing further details on the direction to make these purchases.  Acquisition of Supportive Housing Properties

As shared at Council meeting on Sept. 2, 2025 through Report Number 25-218  addresses and operators will be shared as property transactions close. This is to ensure and respect the confidentiality of the property owners. 1056 Palmerston Crescent closed on Dec. 17 and 407 Sheila Court property in the Pittsburgh District closed on Dec. 19 allowing the City to now share both addresses and operators publicly.   

The same process was followed for the announcement of address and operator for 167 Braemar Road in the Lakeside District which closed and was announced to the public on Dec. 5, 2025.

Information was shared as soon as the property was sold and the transaction closed to ensure transparency as the information becomes public. Waiting until after the holidays would have risked renovations and building assessments beginning before neighbours had been informed. 

To secure operators for each site, the City issued a Request for Supplier Qualifications (RFSQ) for those operators that have demonstrated experience and expertise in operating supporting housing properties. Once operators are in place, they will as has now been done by Ryandale for the property on Palmerston Crescent, reach out to near neighbour to share program info, build relationships, address program questions, correct misinformation/misunderstanding of services and ensure that new residents become valued members of community.  The flyer that was sent out was a first step and there will be an information session on Feb. 11, 2026, to answer questions that neighbours may have about supportive housing, the operator and the future residents. 

Only a small number of people can be accommodated at supportive housing properties. That is why there are over 28 supportive housing sites already in operation across our community. The small number of residents means that they can join a neighbourhood and easily live out a detached home. The modest renovations to be undertaken at 1056 Palmerston Cres. are to update the property and ensure that the bedrooms and common kitchen and living spaces are up to code. A building permit for this work is required. Planning approvals are not required and no servicing changes are needed to accommodate the number of people who will live at this site. Most residents of supportive housing use public transportation. Residents do not tend to own personal vehicles and parking on the site is sufficient to meet the resident and staff needs. Vans are often used to assist residents in attending offsite programs, attending medical appointments, getting to work, etc. 

The property at 1056 Palmerston Cres. was purchased by the City to serve as a new supportive housing site. It will join the 28 other supportive housing sites in operation across our community. Council approved this direction and following that direction City staff and Ryandale as the intended operator are preparing the site for new residents to move in. There will be an information session on Feb. 11, 2026, to connect more directly with neighbours, answer questions about the site, the operation of supportive housing, who the residents will be, and how concerns can be mitigated ahead of the site opening and how questions and concerns after the site opens will continue to be addressed. 

Supportive housing is small scale in size and site impact. Supportive housing sites can accommodate 7 to 8 people. Each resident has their own bedroom and shares communal kitchen and living spaces. Staff space is also included at the sites, bringing the total number of people onsite from 9 to 10, depending on the resident and staff compliment at a given time.

The next steps for this project are property renovations and community engagement. Renovations will begin in January 2026. Invitations to a near-neighbour meeting run by Ryandale Transitional Housing have been delivered to houses within a 150-metre radius of 1056 Palmerston Cres. and shared on this Get Involved Kingston page. This community outreach by the operator will allow those living closest to the property to connect in person and ask questions, learn about residents and understand the kinds of care and tenancy that will happen at the site. The hope is that residents will move in by the end of March 2026. Near neighbours are an important part of building successful connections with the community and the feedback and suggestions received from near neighbours will help to share how the residents engage, how challenges are addressed and how relationships can be built. 

Members of Council, neighbours, partner agencies and City staff are equally important in helping integrate supportive housing services into communities. The City and Ryandale as the intended operator, are committed to providing ongoing updates, receiving questions, and guiding a constructive community-led engagement process to those neighbourhoods that will include supportive housing projects. The intent is to ensure clear and consistent communication with the community and raise awareness of future engagement opportunities designed to hear concerns and to collaborate on how sites can be successfully integrated into their neighbourhoods. Supportive housing operators alongside City staff will host near neighbour community meetings and if interest allows, move toward the creation of Community Liaison Committees (CLC). CLCs are a means of connecting near neighbours, business owners, site operators and City support teams to share information, address questions, discuss challenges and collaborate on integrating housing services into neighbourhoods and addressing community concerns. 

Ryandale has successfully operated for 40 years. Their programs have provided essential services to members of the community and supported them in their individual goals and to achieve independent living. It is important to note that since the opening of Fieldstone Cres. (a recent Ryandale supportive housing site in Pittsburgh District), there have been no issues identified by the community or to property local property owners and are now an integral part of their near neighbour community.  

These supportive housing units are intended for individuals who have been staying in shelters for an extended period and are ready to transition to more stable housing but have been unable to do so due to a shortage of appropriate options. Not all persons currently accessing shelter would be eligible to move in. Residents will be chosen through a coordinated access process. Coordinated Access is a centralized system that connects people needing service to those locations best suited to successfully support them. For some, that can mean remaining in shelter, others may be best supported by moving in stabilization programs or into transitional housing, and some are ready to move into a supportive housing site where they can receive a little extra assistance as they move toward independent housing. Residents of supportive housing have low to medium acuity, meaning they do not need complex health/mental health supports, are stable and ready to work toward their individual independent living goals. 

• Ryandale serves clients without prejudice, especially with respect to any past history of addiction, incarceration or mental illness. Clients, however, must meet standards for addictions and level of risk to the community. 
• Ryandale respects and accepts everyone’s gender status, racial and cultural background, and is mindful of factors such as poverty that drive marginalization and homelessness. 
• Ryandale works with other agencies and partners to support client self-sufficiency and transform lives. 

At supportive housing sites, rule-breaking is usually handled in a supportive, step-by-step way rather than through immediate punishment – unless the severity of the action warrants it, with the goal of keeping people housed and safe. Staff typically start by talking with the resident to understand what happened and offer services or support. If problems continue, responses may escalate gradually through warnings, behavior agreements, or restrictions. Eviction is a last resort, generally used when safety is at risk and other interventions have failed. Ryandale staff will be at the February 11 community meeting to share more about its specific program agreements, resident expectations and how violations are dealt with. 

The supportive housing property at 1056 Palmerston Crescent will have staff on site 24/7 to support the needs of the clients. The operator is responsible for the security of the site as they are with all of the sites they successfully operate.  While the operator will be available to answer any questions about safety and security at the meeting taking place on February 11, 2026, they will be engaging with the community well before that date.  In addition, ongoing engagement by the operator both before and after the site opens will continue to provide opportunities for the community to share any issues or concerns and for the Ryandale staff and the future residents to work to address them. It is important to note that since the opening of other Ryandale operated supportive housing, (including Fieldstone a recent Ryandale supportive housing site in Pittsburgh District), there have been no issues identified by the community or by local property owners and in fact they are now an integral part of their near neighbour community. 

The supportive housing property at 1056 Palmerston Crescent will have staff on site 24/7 to support the needs of clients. These staff are fully trained and will work with an individual to develop a plan tailored to support their needs as they move towards independent living. An individual plan may include things like counselling, life skills training, budgeting support, housing searches and other items identified in development of the plan.  

Ryandale uses a 4-Phase Program Approach 

Phase 1: 

• New residents are welcomed into a supportive environment. During this phase, they familiarize themselves with the house rules, staff, and fellow residents. The goal is to establish stability and a sense of safety before deeper personal work begins. Residents engage in self-assessment exercises to understand their strengths, weaknesses, abilities, and limitations. A key component of this phase is connecting residents with appropriate community supports, including healthcare, mental health services, employment programs, and addiction recovery resources.  

Phase 2 

•  Residents are assigned daily and weekly household chores as part of their stay at Ryandale · If addiction is part of their story, residents are required to attend outside 12-step meetings (AA/NA) or other recovery programs regularly. · Staff assist residents in completing applications to be placed on relevant housing waitlists as early as possible. Staff assist residents with obtaining ID, Health cards and getting connected with outside resources in this phase.  

Phase 3: 

• Residents receive training in life skills such as: Financial literacy and budgeting Cooking and meal planning Conflict resolution and communication Maintaining a sober and healthy lifestyle  

Phase 4: 

• Support is provided for transitioning into independent living, ensuring residents feel prepared to take on responsibilities outside of the program. This phase helps residents begin taking ownership of their journey while developing a support network beyond Ryandale. This structured, holistic approach empowers residents to reintegrate into society with confidence, stability, and the necessary skills for long-term success 

City staff will be working very closely with the operators to support the success of the program.  Through regular meetings with the City and as part of contractual reporting requirements, Ryandale provides details on monthly programming taking place, what if any issues have arisen and how they have been addressed and also reports on the ongoing progress of clients including those that have secured permanent housing.  

Ryandale’s mission is to ensure safe accommodation and support access to essential support services for people in KFL&A who are struggling with the economic, social and often emotional challenges of being without permanent housing. Ryandale Transitional Housing aims to bridge the gap between shelter dependency and sustainable, independent living. Beyond the provision of a safe and comfortable place to stay. Ryandale works to build greater social inclusion and a renewed sense of hope in their residents, while focusing on perseverance and a realistic view of the road ahead. Learn more by reading Ryandale’s 2025 Annual Report.

Unsheltered or absolute homelessness is the type of homelessness that is generally thought of when talking about homelessness. It is a narrow concept that includes individuals that are living in public or private spaces without consent, as well as those living in places not fit for permanent human habitation (Statistics Canada).

Emergency sheltered homelessness includes individuals that are currently living in shelters that are specifically designed to temporarily accommodate people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. This includes homeless shelters, shelters designed to house those fleeing domestic violence or emergency shelters for those impacted by natural disasters (Statistics Canada).

Transitional supportive housing provides a physical environment that is specifically designed to be safe, secure, enabling, and home-like, with support services such as social services, life skill supports, housekeeping, and social and recreational activities, to maximize residents’ independence, privacy, and dignity (CMHC, 2018). Persons in transitional housing pay rent and live there full time. Transitional housing is intended to support people day-to-day as they work towards independent living.

Ryandale has been very successful in supporting individuals to meet their goals and securing employment and permanent housing.  They average about 1 person per month moving to their own place.  Currently at the Fieldstone house there are 3 residents with full time jobs, and 2 of those 3 are leaving in the next 2 weeks.  The 3rd is looking for a  place of his own as well.  Ryandale number one goal is helping residents get stable, find purpose, either with a job or volunteering if they have a disability and then to move to their own place.  The average stay across all houses is about 9 to 10 months right now.  

In addition to this, Ryandale operates on a 3 strikes model with the exception of violence in the homes which is an immediate eviction, most other issues are handled progressively.  Ryandale is not for everyone and when they identify someone would be better suited to another type of supportive housing they do try to help them get placed there.  

The City ensures any vacant property is regularly checked and secure through the vacant building insurance provider protocol. Paladin security is monitoring the property as per this standard protocol.

Supportive Housing residents as part of their programming learn how to use public transportation to travel to appointments, employment, etc. as they will need to be comfortable using public transit once they secure their own housing.  When possible, if the travel is extensive, they are provided taxi chits for travel.

Residents are only permitted to use cannabis if they have a valid medical prescription. Ryandale is looking at a potential change to their cannabis policy which would remove the ability for individuals with valid medical prescriptions to smoke cannabis and instead they would be required to use an alternate method such as edibles, gummies or oil.

Tenants buy their own food and in addition meals are prepared together as part of life skills training and they eat meals together.  

Residents of Ryandale's transitional housing have success moving into a variety of places. Residents move into apartments, subsidized housing, permanent supportive housing as well as moving in with family or friends. Through transitional housing, many residents have the stability and support to apply for the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit and overcome barriers such as credit checks.

The City will not be releasing the addresses of properties that were considered but not advanced.

The Palmerston property was selected because it met the program, planning, and operational requirements for supportive housing. The site is appropriately zoned, available within the required timelines, and suitable for renovation to support safe accommodations. It is also located within an established neighbourhood with access to transit, services, and amenities that support housing stability and community integration.

Supportive housing is a residential use and, like many forms of housing, is commonly located within established neighbourhoods that include schools and other community amenities. There are no planning or policy restrictions that prohibit supportive housing from being located near schools. The new supportive housing sites being opened by the City are intended for individuals who have been staying in shelters for an extended period and are ready to transition to more stable housing but have been unable to do so due to a shortage of appropriate options. Not all persons currently accessing shelter would be eligible to move in. Residents will be chosen through a coordinated access process. Coordinated Access is a centralized system that connects people needing service to those locations best suited to successfully support them. For some, that can mean remaining in shelter, others may be best supported by moving in stabilization programs or into transitional housing, and some are ready to move into a supportive housing site where they can receive a little extra assistance as they move toward independent housing. Residents of supportive housing have low to medium acuity, meaning they do not need complex health/mental health supports, are stable and ready to work toward their individual independent living goals.

The City does not direct or require schools to notify parents about any nearby residential housing developments.

Information about the project has been shared through the City’s public engagement and communications channels to support transparency and awareness. As with other residential developments, the City works with housing providers to ensure appropriate oversight and expectations are in place to support safety and positive community integration.

Safety and privacy considerations have been part of the planning for this site from the outset.

There are no plans for physical dividers beyond standard residential features; however, a privacy fence will be installed in the spring. This has always been part of the site plan and is intended to support the privacy of residents. 

In addition, ongoing engagement after opening will continue to provide opportunity for the near neighbour community to share any issues or concerns and for the Ryandale staff and the future residents to work to address them.