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Housing Programs

A home is the foundation for stability.

Our housing work has two connected parts:

 

  1. Open Arms helps people experiencing homelessness find a place to live and supports them as they settle in.
     

  2. Open Arms is also a housing provider. We own buildings, allowing us to protect affordable apartments and provide homes for people whose needs may not be well served by the rental market alone.

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Image by Erik Mclean

1. Helping people find and keep market housing

Through Foundations to Housing, Open Arms helps people move into rental homes throughout the Annapolis Valley. Our housing case workers work alongside participants to find suitable housing (within the community of their choosing), navigate applications and leases, prepare for the move, and address challenges that may arise after they are housed.

 

The level of support depends on the person. Some need help making the transition from shelter to an apartment. Others benefit from more intensive, ongoing support to maintain their housing and work toward their own goals.

 

Landlords are essential partners in this work. Our housing team builds relationships with property owners, supports participants throughout their tenancy, and helps address concerns early. These partnerships open doors for people who might otherwise struggle to secure a home.

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2. Providing homes ourselves

Open Arms is also a housing provider. At this time, we have purchased two residential buildings where we are the landlord. This gives us a direct role in protecting affordable homes and providing housing that meets needs the rental market does not always meet.

 
Preserving affordable homes on Park Street

 

In 2025, Open Arms purchased a 15-unit building which resulted in the preservation of 15 deeply affordable apartments. The people living there remained in their homes. No one was removed, or reno-victed as a result of the purchase.

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As apartments become available to rent, Open Arms will continue to offer them at subsidized rates to people who need affordable housing.

 

Preserving these apartments matters in a community where affordable rentals are scarce. It means 15 existing homes can remain part of the Annapolis Valley's affordable housing supply.

 
Creating supportive housing through Frameworks

 

Open Arms also purchased a four-unit building for Frameworks, our residential housing program for people who have experienced homelessness and have complex support needs.

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This program brings together housing and support in one place. Each resident has their own unit and the independence of a place to call home. Staff are on site 24 hours a day to offer support when it is needed. Frameworks creates a housing option for people whose needs may not be well served by market housing alone. ​

Our housing impact in 2025

  • 38 leases signed by people who had experienced homelessness, with support from Open Arms.

  • 15 affordable apartments preserved through the acquisition of a multi-unit building on Park Street.

  • Foundations to Housing capacity doubled, from 15 to 30 participants.

  • A four-unit supportive housing property acquired to expand housing options for people requiring a higher level of support.

LOOKING FOR HOUSING SUPPORT?

People connect with housing pathways through our outreach and shelter teams and the regional Coordinated Access system. If you are experiencing homelessness or at risk of losing your housing, contact the Open Arms Outreach Team at 902-691-2801. Staff can help you understand what supports may be available and how to get connected.

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