Qalipu First Nation (QFN) Housing Division is pleased to announce the launch of the Home Repair Assistance Program (HRAP). This program will provide financial assistance up to $5,000.00 for eligible applicants residing in Newfoundland & Labrador.

This program will support housing repairs to increase functionality, sustainability, and longevity of homes, that will ensure a safe and sound standard of living specific to members and their needs. While funding is limited, the collection of data and the need for similar programs will be thoroughly assessed during this process.

Applicants MUST submit all required documentation by September 30^th, 2024.

It is strongly recommended that applicants and/or co-applicants review the application in its entirety to ensure that all required documentation is included prior to submission. Please note, if all required documentation is not provided, the application may not be reviewed or processed.

To be eligible for funding, the home repair MUST fall into one of the following categories:

• Emergency repairs that, if not completed, will force the homeowner to leave their home

• Roofing

• Oil Tank Replacement

• Windows and doors

Requirement of combined annual household net income must be below $49,039.00, based on Government definition of “Low Income Taxable Reduction – LITR”

Please note that program funding is limited, and applications will not be processed until the submission window has closed.  Due to the anticipated high volume of applications, not all applicants will be approved, and only those receiving funding will be contacted.

Find the application here: Application (pdf)

Contact:

Housing Development Officer
Paul Brake
709-634-5472
pbrake@qalipu.ca

The Housing Division of the Department of Health & Wellness is expanding the Emergency Housing Support Program “I’tesnen: We Are Staying” program services through a partnership with The Atlantic Policy Congress (APC). The program is expanding to all members who reside in Canada and who require assistance with the following:

• Emergency Housing Set-Up – Provide rental startup assistance such as first/last month’s rent and damage deposit.
• Housing Placement – Time- Limited rental assistance to support individuals or families being placed into housing.
• Prevention and Shelter Diversion – Assist with rental and/or utility arrears to prevent eviction.
• Emergency Housing – Provide short term placement for a maximum of five (5) nights.

Emergency Housing Support Application

*No new application process, disbursement of available funds to existing applicants*

In the fall of 2021 and again in June 2022, Qalipu First Nation announced funding under the Covid-19 Residential Home Heat & Energy Rebate Program.   Band members were invited to submit an application to be eligible for a one-time payment of up to $350 to help with their home heat and energy costs.   Available funds were allocated by random draw and the application process was closed.

This year, based on existing available funds, Qalipu revisited this original pool of applicants to award payments to those who had not yet been selected (approximately 700 applications).

There is no new application process.  Funds are being awarded to those who previously applied and were unsuccessful.

If you received a phone call or an email from our housing division, it is because you previously applied, and you have now been selected to receive the one-time payment.

Please check your email and voicemail and be sure to respond if your mailing address or direct deposit banking information has changed.

To discuss this, please reach out to the Housing Division.

Contact:
Jason Park, Housing Development Officer
tel. 709-634-0411
email housingproject@qalipu.ca

You may be eligible for financial support from our Emergency Housing Support Program if you fall into one of the following situations:

• Are you currently renting but have received an eviction notice?
• Are you overdue on the rent and don’t have the money to pay it?
• Are you homeless and trying to get into a place but need financial support to get you started?
• Have you received a utility disconnection notice due to non-payment?
• Are you on a fixed income and coming up short for rent?

Please reach out to our housing team to discuss your situation and start the application process to receive support.

Contact:
Jason Park, Housing Development Officer
t. 709-634-0411
e. jpark@qalipu.ca

Qalipu recently partnered with the Rural Development Network (RDN) to offer engagement sessions which took place this past week in Gander, Corner Brook and Stephenville.  The intent of the sessions was to meet with Band members to gather information about housing needs and concerns and later use that information to compile statistics and data that will guide the band in program creation and assist in accessing additional housing funds.

Travis Hulan, Housing Development Officer for the band, provided some feedback about the sessions which he said were well-attended and incredibly valuable.

“It was inspiring and powerful to hear personal stories from members on their housing situations, and about homelessness in their communities.  There’s so much we can do to help and that’s exactly what we intend to do.”

Travis noted that RDN will compile the information that was collected during the sessions and provide it to the band to use.  H Qalipu will also continue working with the RDN to gather additional input from band members.  One option being explored is the recruitment of community members to collect additional data from within their communities.

“This data will support our proposals for additional funds which, based on what we heard during these sessions, and the demand we have seen for funds from Qalipu’s Emergency Housing Program, are much needed.”

The band recently announced that funding for emergency home repairs has been exhausted under high demand while it continues to offer financial support for housing set-up and short-term accommodations.

Travis explained, “The Emergency Housing Set-Up fund alleviates homelessness by providing funding of up to $2000 for things such as first and last months rent, damage deposit and other costs associated with getting a residence established.  Since the program was launched in May of this year, 49 band members have received financial support and are now housed.”

He added that many others have availed of funding under emergency short-term accommodations which provide for up to ten nights in a hotel.

For more information or to apply for the Emergency Housing Support Fund, please click here.

If you have questions or would like to provide feedback about housing in your community, please contact a member of the Housing Team:

HOUSING DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Travis Hulan
709-634-3176
thulan@qalipu.ca

HOUSING PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT YOUTH INTERN
Jason Park
709-634-0411
jpark@qalipu.ca

The Emergency Housing Support Program, offered by the band in partnership with Reaching Home Indigenous NL and Reaching Home Rural and Remote NL, provides funding for eligible projects that will help eliminate or reduce homelessness.

At this time, there are no funds remaining for emergency repairs and as such, applications for home repair projects will no longer be accepted.

Applications for the following supports that fall within the project’s scope of eliminating or reducing homelessness are still being accepted:

• Housing Set-Up: Provides financial assistance at a maximum of $2000 per application. This could include housing or rental start-up such as first and/or last month’s rent as required, damage deposit, and/or utility assistance.
• Emergency Short-Term Accommodations: can provide for hotel placement at a maximum of 10 nights.

To submit an application for housing set-up or emergency short-term accommodations, please click here.

For more information, please contact a member of our housing team:

Housing Contacts

HOUSING DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Travis Hulan
709-634-3176
thulan@qalipu.ca

HOUSING PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT YOUTH INTERN
Jason Park
709-634-0411
jpark@qalipu.ca

Every participant will receive a $20 gift card

We’ve partnered with the Rural Development Network to offer engagement sessions later this month and we would love to see our Band members there! We’ll be set up for several hours at each location but there is no obligation for you to stay the whole time.  Please feel free to drop by for a little while, or a long while.

The purpose of these sessions is to gather information about the housing needs and concerns of our membership.  The information we gather will be used to compile statistics and data that will guide us in program creation and assist in accessing much-needed funds.

Drop by:

August 19th, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm in Gander at the Quality Hotel and Suites
August 20th, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm in Corner Brook at the Glynmill Inn
August 21st, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm in Corner Brook at the Glynmill Inn
August 22nd, 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm in Stephenville at the Days Inn

Please be advised, members of Qalipu’s Housing Division will be in Stephenville on June 28 and are currently setting up appointments for people who would like to meet with them to discuss housing resources, or to receive assistance with completing the application for Qalipu’s Emergency Housing Support Fund.

To make an appointment for June 28 in Stephenville, please contact Jason at 709-634-0411

In the days following one of the worst storms to hit our shores, we are reflecting on the struggles now faced by individuals and families who have lost their homes and belongings.  It is a difficult moment to be sure, and our thoughts and prayers are with those facing these challenges.

At this time, we would like to take the opportunity to remind Band members, specifically those most severely impacted along the south coast, about our Emergency Housing Repair Program and invite them to get in touch to discuss options under this program, and other supports available through Qalipu’s Housing Division.

For more on housing support programs, click here

To reach out and discuss what we can do to help, please contact Jason at 709-634-0411.

 

Emergency Support Application
FAQ

Introduction:

“I’tesnen: We Are Staying” Qalipu Emergency Housing Response Program aims to help prevent and reduce homelessness among our members. Existing support(s) include:

• Emergency Housing Repair – Provide financial assistance (maximum $5,000 per household) to existing homeowner(s) in need of emergency repair(s) that would cause the homeowner to leave their home immediately.
• Housing Set Up – Provide housing/rental startup assistance such as first month’s rent and/or last month, damage deposit, and/or utilities assistance up to $2,000 per application.
• Emergency Short Term Accommodations – Provide hotel placement for a maximum of ten (10) nights.

“Indigenous homelessness refers to Indigenous Peoples who are in the state of having no home due to colonization, trauma and/or whose social, cultural, economic, and political conditions place them in poverty. Having no home includes: those who alternate between shelter and unsheltered, living on the street, couch surfing, using emergency shelters, living in unaffordable, inadequate, substandard and unsafe accommodations or living without the security of tenure; anyone regardless of age, released from facilities (such as hospitals, mental health and addiction treatment centers, prisons, transition houses), fleeing unsafe homes as a result of abuse in all its definitions, and any youth transitioning from all forms of care”

– Reaching Home Indigenous NL

 

Program Eligibility:

• Applicant/Co-Applicant must be a registered member of Qalipu First Nation
• Applicant must identify as an individual who is currently homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
• Applicant/Co-Applicant are required to be a resident of Newfoundland & Labrador
• Applicant must NOT be currently supported by the provincial, territorial, or municipal welfare and/or rent supplement program(s)
• Based on submission of required documents. Funding is limited.

Please Note: *If housing ownership is in the name of a non-member spouse or partner (co-applicant), you may still submit your application with housing ownership supporting document; however, it will be necessary to provide further documentation to support that you are a resident of the same household.

**Emergency Short Term Accommodations may be provided to non Qalipu indigenous community members who are homeless and/or at risk of becoming homeless.

 

Application Process:

• Qalipu application collection will be based on submission date and will be processed until funds have been exhausted. All applications will be reviewed and assessed as they are submitted, based on level of emergency, amount of funding available, and in reference to the definition of Indigenous Homelessness as outlined by Reaching Homes Indigenous NL
• Limit of one application per household. Duplicate applications will not be reviewed. In the event duplicate applications are received, QFN will consider the first application as the valid submission
• All applications require name, accurate mailing address/street address (if different from mailing address), Band registration #, phone number and/or email address, and supporting documentation including proof of homeownership/rental agreement, and proof of combined annual income
• If you have any questions or require support regarding your application, please email jpark@qalipu.ca or thulan@qalipu.ca
• FOR ASSISTANCE FILLING OUT YOUR APPLICATION, PLEASE CONTACT: JASON (709) 634-0411 OR TRAVIS (709) 634-3176

Emergency Support Application
FAQ