Youth are scheduled to move into new transitional housing in the former ABC Daycare on London Road on Friday.
Preferred Towing and Lambton Supportive Transitional Housing Inc. showed off the newly renovated spaces, dedicated to supporting homeless youth in the community, during an open house Thursday.
Owner Tammy Vandenheuvel said all seven apartments have been filled.
"Youth can be referred to Rebound, and Rebound does the first part of the application to make sure that they meet the criteria and then they come to us and we interview them," said Vandenheuvel. "If we have space that's appropriate for them, then we offer that space to them."
The cost of rent, ranging from $650 to about $800, is subsidized through government social assistance and Rebound's housing program.
Rebound will also offer social programs to the youth.
"We accept youth who are 16 to 24, and the time frame for them to exist in this space is up to four years," she said. "Gaining all that support, getting a good credit rating, a good reference, being able to work on themselves and get their lives together to be able to move on to a permanent location."
Vandenheuvel said area businesses have helped furnish the units.
"A lot of these kids are coming with nothing. They're coming with their clothes, maybe a few other personal items, but they're not coming with beds, or sheets, or couches, or dishes, they can walk into here and make a meal," she said. "There will be cups, there's bowls, there's frying pans, forks and knives. They're totally equipped apartments."
While finishing touches were being made to the inside of the building Thursday, work continued on the exterior.
"We're really hoping that other communities, not just here, take a look at what we've done as business people and understand that it is possible for them to do the same in their own communities," she said.
Vandenheuvel said the renovation has cost over $1.5 million.
