Judging from the many heated conversations going on now about supportive housing in Kelowna, two things seem clear: Most citizens don’t want housing in residential neighbourhoods for the homeless who also happen to be addicts and/or mentally-ill. Most residents are OK with housing near them for those who don’t have those issues, who simply can’t afford accommodations in our expensive city.
So, the problem appears to be about the location, not the concept.
Here’s a possible solution: A few months ago, the city bought a large parcel of land near UBCO and the Glenmore landfill, for nearly $12 million.
A (developer) was planning to build a large housing development there before the real-estate market cooled. We already own the land. It’s close to an existing bus route to downtown, for specialized services. There’s no nearby neighbours. It’s large enough to build an on-site treatment centre and even a skills-training building.
If you think this would be a good idea for Kelowna, please email your thoughts to our politicians at mayorandcouncil@kelowna.ca
Al Janusas
Kelowna
