Building boasts bedbug sauna

Cheryl Chan, The Province, October 14, 2009
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Resident Barry LeMaigre, 47, makes his bed in his room  at the opening of The Lux. Photograph by: Ric Ernst, The Province.

The latest supportive housing building to officially open in the Downtown Eastside has something no other building in the city has: a bedbug sauna.

The nine-storey Lux at 65 E. Hastings boasts a 400-square-foot hot room on the ground floor that heats up to 65 C to cook the voracious apple-seed-sized parasites that plague many Metro Vancouver homes.

It's already seen a lot of use from Lux tenants.

"I've already brought my couch down two times now, said Greg Cornish, 50."It's a really great feature."

Exterior of The Lux, a downtown east side Vancouver housing complex on East Hastings for the homeless October 13, 2009. Photograph by: Ric Ernst, The Province.

Of the building's 92 self-contained units, 25 are designated low-barrier for clients struggling with addictions or mental-health issues and need intensive support, while 67 are long-term independent living units for people who require less supervision. '

"It's going to change 92 people's lives and have an ongoing legacy," Housing Minister Rich Coleman said at Tuesday's official opening ceremony.

The province kicked in almost $12.9 million toward the $22.4-million capital cost, while the federal government provided $7.6 million.

Other partners include the City of Vancouver, which contributed $1.9 million for the commercial units and a 60-year land lease, and Vancouver Coastal Health, which will cover $830,000 in annual operating costs.

Mark Smith, executive director of building operator RainCity Housing, said the Lux helps people move forward with their lives.

"Without a home, people struggle and they don't have a chance and there's no foundation and there's no security," Smith said. "With a home, life changes dramatically."

Resident Barry LeMaigre, 47, in his room at the opening of The Lux, a Downtown Eastside Vancouver housing complex for the homeless October 13, 2009. Photograph by: Ric Ernst, The Province.

Barry LeMaigre had been homeless for two years when he was given a key to his own suite on the fourth floor -- complete with bamboo floors, a stove and a large bathroom.

Initially, he felt embarrassed and unworthy: "This is the first home I've had in my whole life, and I'm 47 years old," he said.

But having a place to call home has unlocked possibilities. "When they handed me the key, it was a key to opportunities," LeMaigre said.