FAQs

Supportive housing provides safe, stable housing to persons who might otherwise face homelessness and to those who have been consistent, stable shelter users. Supportive housing combines housing stability with 24/7 wraparound programming and life skill support. It is based on the Housing First model, which prioritizes housing as a foundation for improving health, well-being, and independence. Supportive housing differs from emergency shelters in that it provides a physical environment that is home-like, with on-site support. 

Yes, the property at 407 Sheila Court has been purchased by the City of Kingston as a new supportive housing site. Tipi Moza (Ironhomes), 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 Sheila Court.

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 in Collins-Bayridge District 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.    

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 Tipi Moza for the property on Sheila Court, reach out to near neighbours 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. 4, 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 407 Sheila Ct. 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 407 Sheila Ct. 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 Tipi Moza as the intended operator are preparing the site for new residents to move in. There will be an information session on Feb. 4, 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 began Dec. 22, 2025. Invitations to a near-neighbour meeting run by Tipi Moza were delivered to houses within a 150-metre radius of 407 Sheila Ct. 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 Q2 of 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 Tipi Moza 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. 

Tipi Moza has successfully operated for 36 years. Their programs have provided essential services to members of the community and supported them in their individual goals and to achieve independent living.

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. 

• Tipi Moza 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. 
• Tipi Moza respects and accepts everyone’s gender status, racial and cultural background, and is mindful of factors such as poverty that drive marginalization and homelessness. 
• Tipi Moza 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. Tipi Moza staff will be at the Feb. 4, 2026, community meeting to share more about its specific program agreements, resident expectations and how violations are dealt with. 

The supportive housing property at 407 Sheila Ct. will have staff available 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 Feb. 4, 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 theTipi Moza staff and the future residents to work to address them. It is important to note that since the opening of other Tipi Moza operated supportive housing, 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 program will have staff on site to provide support to residents. Staff will be available at all times to respond to needs, provide guidance, and support individuals as they work toward greater independence and housing stability.

At Tipi Moza Sheila Court a variety of programming and access to support will be offered along with resources that support the short- and long-term goals of residents. 

The goal is to create an individual plan for each resident to help them along their journey. From the Indigenous perspective, Tipi Moza offers traditional cultural programming including smudging ceremonies, talking circles, crafting, cultural teachings, and traditional meals. Some residents are searching for a connection to their culture, while others wish to reconnect to culture that was lost. Programming includes life skills such as meal preparation, budgeting, household chores, and strategies for personal interaction. This programming supports residents as they move towards independent living and prepares them as they take on responsibilities outside of the program. 

The site is a single dwelling and as such would have the same waste collection supports as other residential properties. The Operator is required to follow all bylaws including around garbage and can acquire additional bag tags if needed.

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, Tipi Moza 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.  

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.

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.

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 supportive 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 supportive housing, many residents have the stability and support to apply for the Canada-Ontario Housing Benefit and overcome barriers such as credit checks.

1056 Palmerston is Supportive Housing. From a continuum perspective, supportive housing is further along the housing continuum than transitional housing.  

Transitional housing is intended to provide temporary, time-limited accommodations with support services to help people move toward permanent housing.  

Supportive is more permanent housing, with no time-limited accommodation term. Tenancy length can vary and is based on the needs of residents and tied to individualized housing and support plans.   

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.

The neighbors can contact the Operator using the contact information provided prior to the opening of the home. Once the contact information is available, it will be posted on the Get Involved Kingston Project page.

The two different zone categories for the provision of supportive housing are a special needs facility, and a dwelling unit.  

Special Needs Facilities 

A special needs facility as defined by the KZBL is considered a more intensive supportive housing option. These types of facilities are often designed to accommodate a larger population either in separate rooms or communal rooms, with onsite supports for counselling, management, healthcare, and programmed day services. There is no maximum number of occupants in the regulation. Because of their intensive scale and ability to house a large population, they are permitted by the by-law in select commercial, mixed-use, and institutional zones. The definition in the KZBL is as follows:  

• Section 3.19.14. Special Needs Facility means the use of any lot or building for housing providing a group living arrangement for people who have specific needs beyond economic needs and that is not a group home, including but not limited to, needs such as mobility requirements or support functions required for daily living. This includes any dedicated facilities for such use and may include a wellness clinic as an accessory use. 

  
  

Dwelling Units 

A dwelling unit is the defined term in the by-law for what constitutes the base needs for a residential building (house, semi-detached house, apartment, etc.) to be considered habitable. Any lot within an Urban Residential Zone is permitted to have up to a maximum of 8 bedrooms, thus limiting the intensity of the use within the low-rise areas of the City (Section 4.28). Definitions for dwelling unit and bedroom are as follows:  

• 3.4.13. Dwelling Unit means the use of a building, comprised of one or more habitable rooms designed to provide at least one washroom and kitchen for residential accommodation. This definition may include a short term rental as defined in the Short Term Rental By-law where it is comprised of one or more habitable rooms designed to provide at least one washroom and kitchen for residential accommodation. This definition excludes bunkhouses, recreational vehicles, travel trailers, tent trailers or motor homes. 

• 3.2.10. Bedroom means any room in a dwelling unit that is not:  

  • 1. A common area, being:  

    • (a) A living room open to all occupants of the unit; or  

    • (b) A dining room open to all occupants of the unit;  

  • 2. An area used for sanitary purposes, such as a washroom;  

  • 3. An area used for cooking purposes, such as a kitchen;  

  • 4. An area occupied solely by mechanical equipment, such as furnaces, hot water heaters, or laundry equipment; 

  • 5. A circulation space, such as a stairway or hallway;  

  • 6. A room less than 6 square metres in area where there are built-in cabinets and/or closets;  

  • 7. A room less than 7 square metres in area where there are no built-in cabinets and/or closets; or  

  • 8. A room without a window or similar alternative source of natural light when the door is closed. 

Section 6.19 of the KZBL outlines the various housing continuum options that are considered a residential use where it can meet the definition of a dwelling unit as defined in the by-law. These types of facilities are considered less intensive supportive housing options because they are limited to a maximum of eight occupants and no onsite supports like those seen in a special needs facility. Lower occupancy supportive or transitional housing would still have daily workers to attend the site and require an office space within the dwelling. They are permitted in all Urban Residential Zones across the City. The specified types of supportive housing are as follows: 

• 6.19.1. An emergency shelter, group home, supportive housing, transitional housing, community home and other similar uses are considered a dwelling unit where the nature of such use does not qualify as a special needs facility. Where such use is considered a dwelling unit, it is permitted on any lot where the Zone permits a dwelling unit, and must be in a permitted building according to the applicable Zone 

The intent for the supportive housings sites in development across the City are to provide housing for individuals that require support to move into the next step, which is independent living. The use as proposed is supportive / transitional housing under Section 6.19 of the KZBL, on lots within an Urban Residential Zone where they must meet the requirements of the zoning by-law including consisting of a dwelling unit having a maximum of eight bedrooms.  

If near neighbours have concerns or complaints about the supportive housing operations or the residents' behaviours and they feel these have not been addressed by the operator they are encouraged to report on these to the City. This can be accomplished using the City Service Request portal: https://mycity.cityofkingston.ca/app/ask. Service requests are sent directly to the appropriate staffing department and allow the City to track requests and responses.

Near-neighbour meetings will be hosted on Feb. 4, 2026, at 4:30pm and 7pm at the Kingston East Community Centre. Registration is required. A webinar for interested residents will also be hosted on March 4, 2026. Questions can also be asked here on Get Involved Kingston.