The Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation and NL Health Services have partnered with Clayton Hospitality to use the Comfort Inn on Airport Road for transitional housing.

The initiative, part of a three year lease with the province, will make use of the 140 rooms at the hotel, including ones to be supported by the health authority.

Health care services that will be provided include harm reduction, community health nursing, case management, mental health and addiction services and social navigation.

The facility will feature a key card system for each room as well as three meals daily.

Hotel staff will be joined on site by security, health care professionals, and community-based staff.

The facility is expected to start accepting temporary residents in March.

Housing Minister Paul Pike says gaps in transitional housing is an issue that has been noted in the past.

He hopes the airport initiative will alleviate some of the pressure there while government catches up on housing.

Meanwhile, government unveiled eight new affordable housing units in the Pleasantville neighborhood of St. John’s.

The units are the first of a 40 unit development on Janeway Place. Construction of the remaining units is expected to start in the spring.

The four ground-level units are wheelchair accessible, and all eight apartments have been built with universal design in mind.

Pike says tenants will be moved in “immediately” including one person who will be moved in very soon—if they aren’t already.