The first residential housing building for the Westman Youth for Christ’s Uturn program is complete and they welcomed their new residents this weekend.

It was an exciting day for YFC, opening its first apartment complex after years of dreaming, designing, planning and building, according to Westman YFC executive director Dwayne Dyck.

Dyck says the building project officially broke ground in August of 2019 and as of April 1, 2021, the first building was opened.

The second apartment is expected to open its doors to its new residents on May 1.

The two buildings will avail 30 units in total, with 14 units set aside for youth coming out of addictions as second-stage housing. 16 apartments are regular, affordable housing.

Dyck says the need is great in the Westman area.  The response for the affordable housing units has been overwhelming.

“We’re full. We turned away, I would say conservatively, a hundred applicants and we’re full up," he says.

Dyck is quick to explain that there are still units available for youth who are in the programming.

“Those apartments aren’t full yet, that’s a little different. With youth coming into the program, they’re coming out of a treatment program. They’re coming out of AFM (Addictions Foundation of Manitoba) or Teen Challenge or maybe they’ve been incarcerated. So, those youth can stay up to three years, although we anticipate they move out closer to two years."

The Blue Lions Housing project came in at just over $6.5 million to build, with financial support from both the provincial and federal governments.  Westman Youth for Christ also contributed just over $1 million for the housing project.

Dyck shares his heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped with the building project in so many different ways, through donations and all kinds of support.

According to their website, Uturn is a two-year transitional housing program for young adults ages 18 to 29 who are currently or are at risk of facing homelessness.

Each person put up in the apartments will have the chance to experience supported independent living. They must manage their own apartment and furnishings and meet weekly with a coach to help them work on their life skills.

Uturn’s vision is "home for every young person facing homelessness."