Renowned housing and homelessness expert Iain de Jong, of OrgCode Consulting, is visiting Penticton to discuss the current housing and homelessness issues facing the city thanks to 100 Homes Penticton.
As part of a speaker series, de Jong and members of 100 Homes will be touring the city from April 22 to 25, speaking with various organizations and groups about the topic of homelessness.
On April 23, de Jong will have lunch and give a presentation to students from Penticton Secondary School from 12 to 3 p.m. at the Shatford Centre Auditorium. Students from Princess Maggie and Summerland High will also be there to take in the presentation covering homelessness prevention, myths of the homeless and how a student can help change conversations.
Later that day from 5 to 7 p.m., 100 Homes Penticton will be hosting a social function at the Lakeside Resort for committee members, sponsors and elected official guests. de Jong will also present on “What have other cities done to successfully address homelessness issues?”
READ MORE: 100 Homes seeks to add Penticton to federal homelessness strategy
On April 24, de Jong and 100 Homes Penticton will host a workshop and presentation for homeless serving agency staff and BC Housing staff at the Shatford Centre Auditorium. Invitied participants from other cities such as Kelowna, Vernon, West Kelowna, Prince George, and Nelson will also be in attendance. The workshop and presntation runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and tickets are $25 per person and include a sandwich lunch.
Following this event, the tour moves on to Penticton city hall to meet with Mayor John Vassilaki and other elected officials and members of 100 Homes Penticton from 3 to 4:30 p.m. de Jong will discuss building up suitable housing stock in the city, creating a strategy, overcoming barriers and forging ahead.
Finally, de Jong and the 100 Homes Penticton speaker series will wrap up at the public Ending Homelessness Together event at Cleland Theatre on April 24 from 6 to 8 pm. Admission is $5 per person which will act as a donation to 100 Homes Penticton. de Jong will discuss dispelling myths of homelessness, tackling ‘not in my backyard-ism’ (NIMBY’ism), and finally he’ll explain the housing first model for those who feel getting long-term clean and sober before housing opportunities.
Tickets for the public event on April 24 at the Cleland Theatre can be purchased online at eventbrite.ca.
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