First United, a historic outreach ministry in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, is undergoing a major redevelopment. Central to the project’s vision is the creation of 103 new below-market housing units for Indigenous people, including 35 supportive housing units and another 68 rental homes.
The housing units, operated by partner organization Lu’ma Native Housing Society, will occupy the top seven floors of the building. The first four floors will be dedicated to First United services and programs, including a library, a computer lab and a safe space for women to sleep during the day. An outdoor rooftop will offer space for community members to gather, hold Indigenous ceremonies or simply sit with a cup of tea.
“The new First United will offer nearly triple the amount of available program space. This will enable us to expand the reach of our flagship services and existing programs, offer new services and amenities, and give us the flexibility to adapt and respond as new needs emerge,” says executive director Amanda Burrows.
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The total cost of the redevelopment is approximately $91 million, with First United’s portion costing about $37 million. As of press time, it had raised close to $31 million through individual and congregational donations, foundation and corporate givings, and government contributions. “The residential portion of the project, which costs roughly $54 million, is funded through government financing and a mortgage. The project is slated to be completed at the end of 2025.
Lu’ma Native Housing Society already operates more than 1,700 affordable housing units for Indigenous people in British Columbia. The new homes at First United “will serve the urban Indigenous community struggling to secure affordable housing in the Downtown Eastside, making this project an important effort towards reconciliation,” says Lu’ma president Dave Baspaly.
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First United has also enlisted Indigenous artists to craft various pieces, including an exterior copper-toned wall patterned after traditional plank houses, a totem pole and art installations for indoor areas like the dining room. The organization is also encouraging people to directly support the creation of an Indigenous art piece on the building’s exterior through its Buy a Brick campaign. Donors buy a symbolic brick to represent one of the roughly 20,000 that will be part of a brickwork pattern designed by Musqueam master weaver Debra Sparrow.
First United works in partnership with other groups in the Downtown Eastside, so it consulted with community members and service providers to ensure the new space meets the needs of the area and fills in existing service gaps.
“This new housing facility is much needed, innovative and can’t come soon enough,” says Sarah Blyth, the executive director of Vancouver’s Overdose Prevention Society. For Blyth, the redevelopment is also personal. “My father lived at the original First United shelter where the new housing facility will be located.”
CLARIFICATION: A previous subheadline stated that First United is providing programming for Indigenous peoples, when programs are available to all. A previous version of the story also referred to Lu’ma Native Housing Society’s portion of funding, when Lu’ma is only a housing operator and not responsible for raising money. This version has been corrected.
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Avil Beckford is the founder of The Invisible Mentor, The Art of Learning Leadership Academy and The One Problem podcast. She’s the author of Leadership Reading: Spilling the Tea on How Top Leaders Read. Beckford lives in Toronto.
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