A public forum on a planned supportive housing project in Langley Township heard from worried neighbours, supporters, and hopeful homeless people who want to move in.
BC Housing and local non-profits have proposed turning the former Quality Inn in the 6600 block of 200th Street into a 49-unit supportive housing project.
If approved by Langley Township council, it will house local homeless people.
Much of the criticism by neighbours in the Willoughby slope and Langley Meadows area has focused on the fact that residents will not be required to prove they are drug and alcohol free, though residents will be vetted for suitability in the building.
“This site is located in the heart of a densely populated Willoughby community,” said one local resident.
She noted there are schools, homes, and daycares in the area.
“How are you going to manage the risk it will bring to the surrounding community?” she said. “This is not a suitable location.”
“Is BC Housing willing to tweak the plan that they have for this location?” said one woman, asking if it could be a drug-free location.
“It’s not a free-for-all,” said Janet Burden, executive director of Stepping Stone Community Services, which will manage the facility.
There will be rules for occupancy, she said. A community advisory committee including neighbours, RCMP, bylaw officers, and BC Housing will also be created to help deal with any problems that might arise.
The plan is to get people off the street and provide them access to drug treatment and other programs once they have stable housing. Not all homeless people are drug addicts, project proponents have said.
However, since the project was announced last fall, residents have raised concerns that the project might increase crime and bring more discarded needles into the area.
“Providing them with a shelter isn’t help,” said another speaker, who said he would be okay with “supportive housing” for seniors, students, or special needs people.
Although there were concerns and opposition from some speakers, many also spoke in favour of the project, including several people who hope to live there.
“This would be a perfect place for me to live and get my life back on track,” said one man, who volunteers with a local “rig rider” group that cleans up discarded needles. He has recently found himself without a home, he said.
“I’m Cathy, and I’ve been homeless for 12 years,” said another speaker.
On a methadone program since last October, she said she’s a former homeowner and renter who has lived in Langley for decades, and asked people to speak to her one-on-one.
“Please, just have a look at the face of what homelessness is now,” she said.
Several other people spoke who have had family experiences with homelessness.
Shawn Bouchard spoke of family members who have been on the street because of mental illness. One, in British Columbia, got into housing and his medications were stabilized, improving his life. Another relative was found sleeping in a police department foyer to avoid freezing to death because there weren’t similar programs in his province.
“These kind of places where you can have a managed environment where all the assessments can happen for mental illness, addiction, trauma, these things work,” Bouchard said.
“We have to have the compassion to help these people, or they will die,” he said.
The project is expected to proceed to a vote at the Township of Langley council in June. A public hearing will be held as part of the rezoning process.
