Quick Escape 
Each year, on November 22, Canadians recognize National Housing Day – an opportunity for housing providers, stakeholders and residents come together to demand an end to homelessness and housing precarity.
YWCA Hamilton believes that safe, affordable, and accessible housing is a basic human right that should be afforded to everyone, regardless of income, identity, or ability. We are committed to helping provide housing that enhances dignity and well-being for women, children, and non-binary people in Hamilton.
As our community is well aware, we continue to experience a housing crisis in Hamilton. This year, Hamilton was named as the third least affordable housing market in North America, and the waitlist for affordable housing currently sits at over 6,000 families.
To meet this crisis head-on, YWCA Hamilton has invested in a new, first-of-its kind affordable housing building on Ottawa Street. The Putman Family YWCA features 50 one-, two-, and three-bedroom units for women and their families, fifteen of which are reserved for women with developmental disabilities. Priority for the remaining units has been given to families fleeing violence, who are Indigenous, who have experienced homelessness, or who are marginalized.
However, we believe that housing shouldn’t just be affordable – it should be functional, bright, and welcoming.
With this in mind, and in honour of National Housing Day, we are thrilled to be able to share the first interior shots of our new Putman Family YWCA on Ottawa Street.
These are the interior spaces that women and women-led families will call home. These particular units have been virtually staged to show their potential, and how the open, airy, modern spaces will provide a safe haven for women and families.
Each unit includes a kitchen space with a stove, fridge, sink, and cabinetry, as well as a communal living space. Each unit also has one or two private bathrooms, depending on its size. Each bedroom and living area has plenty of natural light, thanks to large windows that offer stunning views of the escarpment and the Crown Point neighbourhood.
Residents will have access to the 6th Floor Residents Lounge which includes communal and laundry spaces, as well as a rooftop patio where children can play and residents can enjoy the outdoors in privacy during the warmer months. Women and families residing in the building will also have access to the multipurpose and community spaces throughout the building where children can find spots to work on their homework, and parents can have an opportunity to rest with cup of coffee or tea.
The Putman Family YWCA will not only welcome women and children to their new homes, but will provide purpose built and safe spaces to encourage community connections, enhance women’s economic security and a will provide for a true sense of belonging. This mixed-use facility includes a Seniors Active Living Centre, a Centre of Innovation, a Community Atrium, Youth Zone and more.
Built to Passive House certification, the new Putman Family YWCA will also achieve rigorous sustainability targets while providing exceptional comfort – ensuring that the needs of women and families can be met for the next 100 years.
With more than 75% thermal energy savings and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 25%, the new Putman Family YWCA leads the way as a first-of-its-kind and truly sustainable build dedicated to women and gender-diverse people in the City of Hamilton. We are extremely proud of the work that’s been done at the Putman Family YWCA to create beautiful, welcoming spaces for families. When we were in the visioning stages of this project, we wanted to not only create a space where women would be housed – we wanted them to feel that their house was a home.
Now, we are so thrilled that that vision is becoming a reality – and that women, children, and families in Hamilton will have a safe, affordable space to call their own.
