Eighth permanent supportive housing development through Resolve Campaign unveiled in Hillhurst

The James House will offer 27 Calgarians a home just as cold weather arrives

A 27-unit building in Hillhurst opened Thursday as the Resolve Campaign’s eighth new permanent supportive housing development in the city, welcoming more than two dozen homeless and vulnerable Calgarians.

The James House — named after James Logel, the late father of Tim Logel, president and CEO of Logel Homes and co-founder of Cardel Lifestyles — will offer 27 Calgarians a home just as cold weather arrives. “As homebuilders, we see every day the importance for everyone to have a place they can call home, for both safety and stability, and improved sense of community,” said Logel.

Logel credits his father for getting him into homebuilding as a teenager, when they built a barn on an Ontario farm together.

“When I first moved to Calgary in 1978, looking for my first job and with little money, I struggled to find a place to live. For a short time, I was in my tent in a KOA camp, and will not forget the feeling of not having a home. With the James House now built, we are excited with the knowledge that, in a few weeks, people experiencing homelessness will be moving into a new home,” he said.

The Resolve Campaign is a partnership between government, non-profits and private donors with the goal of creating affordable rental housing with support services for Calgary’s vulnerable population.

HomeSpace Society CEO Bernadette Majdell said the organization was proud to partner with Logel Homes and Cardel Homes — who built and donated the building — the Calgary Homeless Foundation and all three levels of government to open the James House.

“As a non-market developer and building manager, our strong community partnerships are critical for the work we do in continually adding new affordable housing in our city and providing homes, safety and dignity to some of Calgary’s most vulnerable residents,” said Majdell.

HomeSpace will own and operate the building, while residents of the building get support from McMan Youth, Family and Community Services Association of Calgary and Area through on-site programming. The programming is meant to transition Calgarians from homelessness into independent living and a better quality of life.

This building is one of a series of purpose-built apartments developed by Calgary homebuilders, who have each committed to constructing a building through contributions to CHF through the Resolve Campaign.

“This collaboration . . . is a demonstration that homelessness can end when we intentionally choose to work together. This building will provide a place of belonging, and a stable foundation upon which all other healing can happen. To the future residents of The James House — welcome home,” said Patricia Jones, president and CEO of CHF.