Horizons Resident Calls for Answers as Closure Deadline Approaches

PHOTO: Graciana Smith

A resident of Horizons at 106 Airport Road is calling on the provincial government and Newfoundland and Labrador Housing to provide clear answers and individual housing plans for more than 40 residents ahead of the program’s impending closure.

Graciana Smith, who has lived at Horizons since September 2024 and is a member of the Streets to Stability Council, says residents remain uncertain about where they will live when the program ends.

Smith says residents have been left waiting for updates despite earlier efforts to arrange relocation.

With just over two months remaining before the program ends, she says progress on housing arrangements has slowed significantly and communication with housing officials has become increasingly difficult.

“I am asking them to come directly to the building, sit down with the people affected, answer our questions honestly, and provide transparent, individual housing plans with clear timelines,” Smith writes.

Smith says she has been trying to arrange a meeting with housing representatives for about a month but has been unable to secure one.

The uncertainty is taking a toll on residents, she says, with some fearing they could end up homeless or return to the shelter system after working to rebuild stability in their lives.

“The possibility of losing that stability is frightening and deeply discouraging,” Smith writes.

She says the closure represents more than the loss of a building, describing Horizons as a home and a source of support for residents who have built a community together.

Smith acknowledges the efforts of staff at Horizons and End Homelessness St. John’s, saying they have tried to reassure residents and share information when available. However, she says those staff members are also struggling to obtain the answers residents need.

Her concerns are directed at provincial leadership and the officials responsible for the closure and housing arrangements, rather than frontline workers.

Smith also questions whether suitable housing can be secured for every remaining resident within the time available, particularly given the province’s existing housing challenges and pressure on the shelter system.

She says Premier Wakeham has not met directly with Horizons residents to address their specific concerns.

Smith is asking the Premier, the housing minister and Newfoundland and Labrador Housing to meet with residents, explain the relocation process and provide clear timelines for individual housing arrangements.

“We are asking for more than reassurance. We are asking for accountability, transparency, and action,” she writes.

For residents who have accepted that the program is closing, Smith says the immediate concern is ensuring they are not left without a safe and stable place to live when it ends.

“More than 40 residents are waiting. The clock is ticking. We need answers, and we need them now,” she writes.

Back in August, the province announced that staff with NLHC have met with the 59 tenants currently residing at Horizons at 106 to determine what support they require. Of these, more than 10 people have been deemed ready for independent living and have accepted placement in NLHC homes. Those remaining have been determined to need various levels of ongoing supportive services as they continue to work toward independent living.