100 More Homes recognized for assisting Penticton’s homeless

What began as a grassroots effort to support Penticton’s homeless population has evolved into a model being considered by communities across B.C.

Launched in 2016, the 100 More Homes Penticton initiative started with a simple goal: house 100 vulnerable individuals by July 2018, said Julie Czeck, the city’s general manager of public safety and partnerships.

“This simple but powerful mission sparked a movement,” she said at the most recent meeting of Penticton City Council.

“Today, it’s a formal collective of more than 40 organizations.”

Naomi Woodland, Housing Initiatives Director with United Way BC, said other municipalities are taking notice.

“There’s significant interest in what we’re doing—especially in reducing visible homelessness and building a safety net,” she said.

In 2022, the City of Penticton and partner organizations signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), formally recognizing the group’s role in addressing chronic homelessness. United Way serves as the initiative’s “backbone organization,” coordinating across governments, healthcare, non-profits, and people with lived experience.

“This has built trust, aligned strategies, and created a shared vision for long-term solutions,” said Czeck.

The initiative’s leadership includes a steering committee of residents, non-profits, government, and business leaders. Regular updates and success stories are shared publicly to ensure transparency.

Tanya Behardien, co-chair and executive director of 100 More Homes, said homelessness has many root causes — job loss, health issues, family breakdown, and more.

With housing costs soaring across Canada, Penticton faces a major shortage of affordable and supportive housing.

“We have long wait lists and very few transitional options,” said Behardien. “That’s why the voices of people with lived experience are central to everything we do.”

Behardien emphasized that no single organization can solve homelessness alone. “Collaboration is essential.”

The City of Penticton has been a consistent supporter, helping shift the initiative’s focus toward systemic change and prevention.

In 2024, the group expanded its public outreach, hosting forums and engagement sessions, organizing 500-plus volunteer hours for community cleanups, and planning a temporary winter shelter.

A point-in-time count conducted in April 2025 revealed a 17% increase in homelessness since 2023. Indigenous people remain significantly overrepresented.

In 2023, 45% of unhoused residents were unsheltered; that dropped slightly to 40% in 2025. Without the temporary winter shelter, unsheltered homelessness would have risen by 60%, said Woodland.

Nationally, unsheltered homelessness has risen 109% in two years; regionally, it’s up 9%.

“These numbers highlight the need for both emergency and long-term housing,” said Woodland.

Nearly 20% of those experiencing long-term homelessness in Penticton have lived in the community their entire lives. Most have been unhoused for over a year, often due to health issues, family breakdown, or eviction. Eviction due to insufficient income is the leading cause.

Substandard housing and substance use are also major contributors.

Troubling trends include a tripling of youth homelessness, from 6% to 18%, and a rise in senior homelessness from 9% to 17%. Forty percent of unhoused individuals first became homeless as youth, and the same percentage grew up in foster care.

“This shows how early intervention could make a life-changing difference,” said Woodland.

Interior Health staff now visit shelters and supportive housing sites to offer on-site healthcare—partnerships made possible by 100 More Homes.

Penticton has also joined the BC Alignment Project, a network of 12 communities sharing data and strategies on homelessness.

The City contributes $85,000 annually to 100 More Homes. Another $45,000 comes from in-kind partner support, and an additional $35,000 is proposed for the 2026 budget.

City council received the latest report for information.

— This article was originally published by the Penticton Herald