Expanding Safe Housing Through Client‑Led, Community Development

This past fall brought meaningful progress on two deeply needed housing projects: the Kelowna Women’s Shelter second‑stage housing development and Cythera Transition House Society’s Bernice Gehring House. Each project reflects the strength, vision, and advocacy of the organizations leading them.

In our role as development consultant, we guided our clients through the complexity of project development, managed funder requirements, and kept the project team on track into construction.

Kelowna Women’s Shelter: Safe, Stable Homes Designed for Families Rebuilding

The Kelowna Women’s Shelter's work is rooted in trauma‑informed support, safety, and care. This project extends their mission of helping women and children live in safe and equitable communities free from abuse by creating 49 new homes – from studios to four‑bedroom townhomes – designed to offer families the stability and dignity they need as they move forward from violent situations. The project is funded by BC Housing and delivered in partnership with Okanagan Métis and Aboriginal Housing Society (OMAHS) and Sawchuk Construction.

Cythera Transition House Society: Bernice Gehring House Opens Its Doors

In Maple Ridge, the opening of Bernice Gehring House marks a new chapter for Cythera’s longstanding commitment to supporting women, children, and mixed‑income residents.

Cythera Transition House Society brings a full‑circle care approach, including counselling, transition housing, long‑term affordable homes, and advocacy. This new building reflects that approach, offering a thoughtful combination of supportive housing, independent living units, community service space, and shared rooftop amenities, funded by and delivered in partnership with BC Housing.

Your foundation for Community Development.

Both projects reflect a core belief we hold at Terra: non-profits deserve to be equal players in real estate development. Our job is to give clients the expertise, advocacy, and translation they need to navigate a complex funding and real estate development market – while ensuring they retain full agency over their mission and future.

The Kelowna Women’s Shelter and Cythera Transition House Society brought the vision, relationships, and community leadership. We helped assemble the pieces into viable, lasting developments that will serve their community for generations.

Together, these projects create more than housing – they create safety, possibility, and a foundation for healing for decades to come.