Yellowknife home could become recovery residence

The City of Yellowknife has approved a development permit for a home on Calder Crescent to be used as a recovery residence.

Some residents in the area have voiced concerns about the project while the developer has defended the initiative, saying aftercare and stabilization supports are needed in the city.

Bala Tirupathi, who applied for the development permit to use the home as a special care residence, described the initiative as “a small-scale, non-medical supportive stabilization residence.”

He said the home will provide short-term accommodation for up to four people at a time who are engaged in counselling, recovery or wellness programming off-site and need “a safe, structured, residential environment while continuing that work.”

“It is intentionally designed to look and function like a regular home in a residential environment while continuing that work,” he told Cabin Radio in an email.

Tirupathi’s application to the city states he is the founder and chief executive officer of Holistic Counselling and Rehab Services. The company’s website states he is a registered clinical counsellor with more than 13 years of experience

As of September 2025, Tirupathi was the executive director of the Arctic Indigenous Wellness Foundation, which is currently in transition and ending its one-on-one healing programming.

Tirupathi said the special care residence he is planning in Yellowknife will fill a gap in aftercare services in the territory that was identified in a 2022 auditor general’s report.

He said it will also address a consistent issue he has seen in Yellowknife of people attending counselling, workshops or recovery services during the day and then having to stay at downtown hotels or transient housing at night, putting them at risk.

Neighbourhood tensions

City planning documents indicate resistance from some neighbours of the proposed special care residence.

One person wrote to the city that when a development permit notice for a special care residence was posted on the property, recycling and garbage cans were placed in front of the sign, blocking it from view.

They said several residents moved the garbage cans, only to have them returned for several days before they were no longer placed in front of the sign.

The city’s planning report indicates Tirupathi reported that someone had attached a printout of his LinkedIn profile and other documents on the development permit sign shortly after it was posted. A city inspection noted evidence the sign had been tampered with but said, by that time, the printout had been removed.

Another neighbour raised issues with “no trespassing” and security warning signs they said had been placed on the property.

In response, the city noted it does not regulate such signs, which it said are “not uncommon in a residential neighbourhood.”

The city said neighbours could “discuss this civil matter among themselves to resolve the potential difference in opinions on the signs.”

Safety, parking and property values

Thirty-six people who said they live in the neighbourhood, or have family or friends who do, wrote to the city opposing a development permit for the special care residence. A further 10 people wrote to the city asking for more information about the proposal, while one person supported it.

Some who oppose the project said they worry it could “alter the family-oriented character of the neighbourhood,” which is a predominantly residential area with some day homes that is near two schools. Some people raised concerns about potential “distressing or unpredictable behaviour,” safety issues, increases in street parking and impacts on property values.

“I don’t feel like this area is conducive for a special care residence where adults navigating substance abuse and serious mental health challenges will be staying,” one person wrote.

Several people complained about a lack of consultation from the developer. The city said, while not required, it has recommended that the developer host a neighbourhood information session on the proposal.

Some neighbours said they have heard information about plans for the property that conflicts with the development application, saying they believe the developer plans to also live at the residence, operate a counselling business out of the home and rent out rooms. The property currently appears to be available for short-term rental on Airbnb.

The one person who wrote in favour of the special care residence proposal said supportive housing facilities are an essential part of a “healthy and inclusive community.”

“They provide individuals recovering from trauma, addiction or mental health challenges with a safe, stable and dignified environment, a critical foundation for long-term recovery and reintegration,” they wrote, disputing that such a use of the property would affect nearby property values.

“Safe, inclusive neighbourhoods are a cornerstone of a resilient city, and this initiative aligns with that vision,” that submission added.

Safety ‘central’ to proposal

In approving the development permit, the city said modern zoning bylaws regulate how land is used, not who may use a property.

City Hall said “personal characteristics or qualities” should not be used as a basis to regulate development, pointing to legal cases involving Charter rights in Canada.

The city said a special care residence is a permitted use in the neighbourhood under its zoning bylaw and the proposed development aligns with the city’s 10-year plan to end homelessness.

Tirupathi told Cabin Radio the special care residence will not be a detox centre, acute recovery facility, medical or clinical treatment site, and no counselling, group programming or therapy will be delivered at the home.

“I understand and respect the concerns raised by some neighbours, and safety has been central to the design of this project from the beginning,” he wrote.

“Once final approvals are in place, I am committed to respectful, transparent engagement with neighbours who have questions or concerns. As a counsellor, I approach this work through listening, accountability, and relationship-building.”

Tirupathi said safeguards at the special care residence will include “strict intake and placement criteria,” clear house rules, ongoing staff oversight and no public access or unscheduled visitors. He said he also submitted a good neighbour plan to the city, which includes a dedicated contact number, respectful conduct rules and a complaint-response process.

“This initiative is intentionally small, carefully regulated, and community-focused,” he wrote. “It is not about changing neighbourhoods, but about quietly addressing a critical service gap in a way that supports vulnerable people while preserving neighbourhood integrity.”

The city said any special care residence at the property must have staff on site 24/7.

While the city has approved the development permit for the special care residence, it is still subject to appeal. The appeal period closes on Friday.