Middle ground was missing Thursday at the open house explaining housing projects in Maple Ridge.
People who stopped into the rotunda in Thomas Haney secondary either liked the plans, or hated them.
Up for review: 55 temporary modular homes at 22548 Royal Crescent; a supportive housing and shelter complex planned for 11749 Burnett St.; and an affordable housing project planned for Lougheed Highway at 213rd Street.
“This is already a done deal,” said Rae-Anne Prinster, who lives near Burnett Street and added that she can’t even get a sidewalk.
“It’s our kids who are the big losers. I’m all for helping people, but giving people housing so they can shoot up in their homes? Not sure how that helps.”
Stephanie Cowan, who just bought a house, also lives near the proposed Burnett Street shelter and is worried about the type of people who’ll be in the supportive housing complex, which will have 24-hour supervision.
“It’s just not right,” she said.
Pam Banks, who had the Cliff Avenue tent city in front of her house for several months in 2015, said people won’t get better living by themselves in housing, but instead should go to treatment centres, where they’re offered detoxification and long-term counselling and job training.
“You’re putting them in there (housing) to die.”
But others supported the projects.
B.C. Housing plans on opening the 55 temporary modular homes this year to give people in Anita Place Tent City a place to live.
B.C. Housing won’t seek city rezoning for that project, but will for a permanent structure in two or three years.
“I’m just tickled pink,” said Carl Meadows, who regularly volunteers at tent city.
“I hope these two things come into being. What a step upward. Treat them like human beings,” he added, mentioning a 64-year-old female resident of the camp.
The antidote for drug addiction is relationships, he said.
John McKenzie, who lives in Port Haney near the tent city, also welcomed B.C. Housing’s plans.
“I have no problem with it. I support it. I just hope it gets done to help these people, because they’re struggling.”
Conditions at the tent city are terrible, he added.
Elizabeth Taylor, who plans on running in next fall’s civic elections, said basic psychology says that a person won’t improve or move forward in their lives unless they have shelter and feel safe and secure.
And, she pointed out, it’s expensive to put people into treatment, saying it costs $900 a day.
Even stray dogs get housing, she said.
According to B.C. Housing, social housing doesn’t lower property values and there’s no evidence that it brings increased crime.
But opponents of the housing projects are stirring up fear and division and predicting the consequences without knowing, said Maple Ridge Coun. Kiersten Duncan.
B.C. Housing, though, hasn’t yet said how Burnett Street will operate.
“There’s no proof that housing values will drop,” Duncan added.
“Crime hasn’t escalated,” in areas where there’s homeless people, she said.
“The fearmongering is what’s driving everybody apart.”
Koreen Branden said the B.C. government should re-open Riverview hospital, saying when it closed it, it then didn’t provide local mental health care.
“We’re looking after how many people now?” she asked.
Branden was also worried about the future value of her home, as was Eileen English, who lives near the site for the temporary modular homes. Instead, a homeless shelter or housing should be located in Albion, she said.
“I’m just disgusted with how Maple Ridge is being run right now.”
Former Vancouver police officer George Kristensen was also concerned saying more crime will result because people will have to steal to support their drug habit.
According to B.C. Housing, 60 per cent of the 124 homeless people in the area have lived here for more than 10 years.
Chris McKee, president of the Maple Ridge firefighters union local, wants the projects to proceed. Recently, he and his crew have helped revive about six people who’ve overdosed. He’s been to lots of calls involving homeless people.
“Personally, I’m hoping that we’re finally moving forward on this. People die because they don’t have anybody else around.”
B.C. Housing plans on seeking rezoning approval from the city for the Burnett Street complex and later for the permanent modular housing that will replace the temporary structure soon to be built on Royal Crescent.
Dominic Flanagan, with B.C. Housing, said the modular homes are addressing the “urgent, urgent” need of those in the tent city and to get those people inside. He said that BC Housing has been trying for three years to get housing built in Maple Ridge.
Two proposed locations for supportive housing in 2016 were cancelled because of opposition, which included both Liberal MLAs.
“We’re saying if we don’t do that, the camp will remain there. The first step in recovery is being housed,” Flanagan said.
NDP MLAs for Maple Ridge, Bob D’Eith and Lisa Beare, didn’t attend Thursday’s meeting but have said they support the modular housing project.
