Chenkw Em̓út
Chenkw Em̓út means I am home
Chenkw Em̓út Tenanting Process Update
Chenkw Em̓út is a 95-unit development and was created to provide safe, long-term rental homes for Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Peoples. Priority is given to independent elders, youth, families, and people with disabilities. CHF aims to increase the availability of affordable rental housing for low to moderate-income households across British Columbia.
This development is funded by the BC Housing Community Housing Fund (CHF) program through a grant and loan. These rents are made affordable for our people because BC Housing provides us with monthly financial support for 60 years. We are required to provide BC Housing with our tenanting process as part of our annual evaluation.
The Nation conducted a housing needs survey in the fall of 2019. According to the survey, Elders were the highest-ranked housing priority. Hiy̓ám̓ Housing and the Ayás Mén̓men (AMM) received funding from Indigenous Services Canada for the construction of this development, enabling them to dedicate 15 units specifically for their most vulnerable clients.
The following is a brief summary of the tenant selection process:
Hiy̓ám̓ prioritized eligible elders who applied, and the 15 AMM referred clients. After assigning the elders and the AMM-referred clients, we proceeded with the tenant selection, and we followed the CHF funding selection criteria detailed below. We received 275 applications for 95 available units.
Those applicants who did not meet the deadline for the income verification documents and interview were waitlisted for future vacancies. Applicants that were over the income limits do not qualify for these units.
The CHF program sets the percentages (20,50&30) noted below. The following table displays the rental mix distribution, categorized by unit type and unit count.
Rental Mix Distribution Table:
*Deep – households receiving Income Assistance
**Rent Geared to Income (RGI) – households with low income
***Low End to Market (LEM) – households with moderate income
The steps followed to categorize each eligible application, as per the above table:
• Income was reviewed for whether the applicants fell under Deep Subsidy, RGI, or LEM
• The unit size required
Applications are placed in the category based on the unit size and income.
If the applications were equal to or fewer than the number of units available, the applicants were selected to be tenanted. A lottery was held if there were more applications in one category than the number of units available.
The design of the 95-unit building is based on our traditional Squamish longhouses and fosters positive intergenerational relationships. Chenkw Em̓út, provides safe, long-term rental homes for Squamish members, with priority given to independent elders, youth, and families.
On June 17, 2022 the building was officially blessed and named. The official name is Chenkw Em̓út, which means “I am home”.
On July 28th, 2021, Squamish Nation members voted to designate this site for affordable housing.
The mixed-use residential development features the following:
- 4 studio apartments
- 50 one-bedroom apartments
- 20 two-bedroom apartments
- 10 studio townhomes
- 10 three-bedroom townhomes
- 1 five-bedroom townhouse
It will also include:
- Co-op
- Community garden
- On-site resident management office
- Community art
- Culturally-appropriate design
- 19 fully accessible units and 25 adaptable units
Training and Employment Opportunities
In partnership with the Nation, throughout the development process, this project aims to build the capacity of our local community through our employment and training opportunities and contracting practices that support Squamish Nation employees, suppliers, and businesses.
Project Location
This project is in Xwmélch’sten Village, across from the Squamish Nation Elders Centre in North Vancouver (Capilano IR5).