Overview
What Is Reside?
Reside renovates vacant or under-utilized spaces into energy efficient affordable housing through partnerships with social enterprise contractors and local housing providers.
By creating employment opportunities and new units of deeply affordable housing with wraparound supports, Reside provides a tangible, targeted long-term solution to ending homelessness in Canada.
the reside process

1. Vacant property
We acquire vacant or under-utilized properties that require renovations in order to create new sustainable, affordable housing for people who are currently homeless or at risk of become homeless. Properties such as abandoned homes, heritage homes and churches or even derelict commercial buildings that could have represented a liability to the community are transformed, through the Reside program, into a community asset.

2. Social contractor
In addition to creating affordable housing, Reside projects provide real world, hands-on experience in the trades for people at risk of experiencing homelessness as they contribute to the renovation of these spaces through the training programs offered by our contracting partners. Our social enterprise contracting partners utilize a combination of training programs, connections to trade unions and employers as well as support resources customized for Reside trainees to ensure the cycle of poverty is truly broken for their participants.

3. Housing Provider
We partner with local organizations who are already working on the front lines in their communities with families struggling to avoid homelessness. They know the most vulnerable people in their community by name.
Our housing provider partners help design Reside spaces to best meet the needs of these vulnerable people and then connect the people most in need of housing with the newly created units.

4. Move In
At the end of the process, the people who were homeless or were at risk of homelessness move into their new home!
The local housing providers help the tenants move in and get established in the home.
They also provide ongoing, wraparound supports to the tenants to ensure they not only survive, but thrive.
Reside Projects in Development
Winnipeg

Vacant commercial property in North End Winnipeg being turned into homes for Indigenous families and youth aging out of care – Anticipated 35+ people trained and employed through the project.
Learn moreSudbury

Vacant single families houses into 10 units of deeply affordable housing – Anticipated 35 people to be trained and employed through this project.
Learn moreOrillia

Vacant commercial space above the Canada Post in downtown Orillia to be renovated into 40 units of housing, 24 of which will be made available to women fleeing domestic violence at deeply affordable rates – Anticipated 50+ people to be trained and employed through this project.
COMING SOON!
Completed Reside Projects
Downtown Toronto

Previously ‘uninhabitable’ house in downtown Toronto turned into a safe home for a refugee family – 38 people trained and employed through the project.
Learn moreNorth York

Previously vacant house in North York turned into a safe homes for youth who were in an emergency shelter – 55 people were trained and employed through the project.
Learn moreCaledon

Abandoned heritage church turned into a beautiful, energy efficient home for adults with developmental disabilities who were at risk of homelessness – 92 people were trained and employed through the project.
Learn moreWhat our partners
are saying
How you can help
01. Community Build Days
Raising the Roof’s Community Build Days offer an a uniquely impactful team building opportunity. Your team will have the opportunity gain practical skills, learn from people whose lives are being changed through the Reside program and create affordable housing for people at risk of homelessness!
Learn more02. Sponsorship
We have levels of sponsorship available for small businesses who would like to be part of creating local solutions for homelessness in their community or large corporations who want to step up and work with us to end homelessness in Canada.
Learn more
03. Help us find our next project
Do you know of a vacant building in your community that would be appropriate for housing? We are able to accept donations of real estate. As a registered charity, we can issue charitable tax receipts for the value of the property upon independent appraisal.
Contact us04. Donate
Either on a one time, monthly or quarterly basis, your investment will change lives of people who are sleeping rough on the streets, facing eviction and are scared, or temporarily staying in a shelter, grateful for the bed but longing for a permanent home.
DonateOur National
Sponsors
To find out more about the Reside program, become a sponsor or participate in a Community Build Day with your team, please contact us.