Medicine Hat's Hampson House opens accessible home for six residents

REDI Enterprises Society officially opened Hampson House in Medicine Hat on Friday, completing a project years in the making to provide accessible and affordable housing for people with disabilities. The building includes a shared living space for three residents needing 24-hour support and three studio apartments for people who can live more independently.

Executive Director Josh Hudson said the project addresses gaps in the local housing market, noting many people with disabilities live on fixed incomes and struggle to afford market-rate housing, while truly barrier-free homes remain hard to find. The home was built entirely without stairs and designed with accessibility features throughout.

Hampson House is named after Cathy Hampson, who moved to Medicine Hat in 1993 after spending much of her earlier life at Michener Centre in Red Deer. Hudson said her experience reflected how Albertans with disabilities were often segregated and denied control over their own lives for much of the 20th century. After Hampson died in 2019, her family donated the proceeds of her estate to REDI, helping fund the project alongside mortgage financing from Servus Credit Union and contributions from local builders, with no government funding involved.

Medicine Hat Mayor Linnsie Clark said her experience at the 2026 Special Olympics Summer Games heightened her awareness of everyday accessibility barriers. She said Hampson House reflects the community's belief that everyone deserves dignity, independence and belonging. The first residents are expected to move in mid-September.