Helmcken House is a heritage building located in downtown Vancouver South. The 16 studio and 16 one-bedroom units are designed to allow tenants to live independently as possible. This location ensures ease-of-access to St. Paul’s Hospital, the Dr. Peter Centre, medical specialists, and the comprehensive support services of BCPWA (BC Persons With AIDS) and AIDS Vancouver.

Helmcken House offers relaxing common areas including a large, fully furnished lounge with full kitchen and a sunny roof garden with a barbecue.

Seymour Place, at 1221 Seymour Street in downtown Vancouver (located within walking distance of Helmcken House) is a public housing project funded and supported by both the provincial and municipal governments. In the 136-suite, 12-story building shared by McLaren Housing and two other non-profit societies, McLaren has been allocated 20 studio apartments.

The Mole Hill Community Housing Society is yet another collaboration by which McLaren has grown its housing stock by 10 more units. Situated in the heart of Vancouver’s West End, and again accessible to all the medical and supports available to our clients, Mole Hill provides an alternative housing program to apartment-based living.

McLaren Housing also administers over 50 portable subsidies. Portable subsidies (rent supplement units) allow individuals to choose or remain in their own apartments. The apartments selected must meet the Society’s financial criteria, which are based on community-specific rent averages determined annually through Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) surveys. At an average annual cost of $6000, portable subsidies provide a relatively inexpensive and extremely flexible type of subsidized housing. Administration costs to maintain this type of housing are minimal. McLaren Housing raises funds to maintain some of the aforementioned more than 50 subsidies but also with the hope of increasing the number of portable subsidies available to clients.