Despite recent criticism by residents of a Kelowna neighbourhood where a supportive housing project that will allow drug use on site is slated, B.C. Housing has no plans to change how it handles public consultation.
Ann Howard, B.C. Housing香蕉视频直播檚 regional director for the Interior, said consultation with neighbours of the planned building on McIntosh Road in the Rutland neighbourhood has already started.
The 50-unit housing project, that will house former homeless and, in some cases, drug addicted residents was announced the day after a packed and lengthy public hearing before city council on a similar project slated for Agassiz Road in the Midtown area of the city.
During that public hearing, area residents香蕉视频直播攎ainly seniors香蕉视频直播攅xpressed fears their neighbourhood would become unsafe with the arrival of the supportive housing that allowed drug use. The residents said they feared drug dealers would move into their neighbourhood.
They also claimed they were not told that drugs would be allowed on site when plans for the project were first announced.
Earlier this week, B.C. Housing held a public open house for the McIntosh Road project and once again none of the printed materials talked about drug use on site. Representatives did, however, talk about it when asked.
Howard said both projects will follow the 香蕉视频直播渉ousing first香蕉视频直播� approach, which has been shown to be successful in helping formerly homeless people, including addicted and those with mental health issues, turn their lives around once they have a home of their own. That includes seeking help through support programs.
香蕉视频直播淲e are providing housing,香蕉视频直播� Howard told the Capital News. 香蕉视频直播淧eople make choices about how they want to live.香蕉视频直播�
She said as is the case in anyone香蕉视频直播檚 home, residents are not prohibited from taking drugs or drinking alcohol or forced to participate in treatment programs. But staff will be on site to help residents, she added.
She said it has been shown that when someone has a home they are more likely to voluntarily seek treatment.
Howard described the McIntosh Road open house as 香蕉视频直播済ood dialogue香蕉视频直播� with area residents, adding all B.C. Housing projects try to be good neighbours.
Part of the plan for both the Agassiz and McIntosh Road projects is to have community advisory committees to help bring issues to the attention of the organizations that operate buildings. In the case of the Agassiz Road project, that will be the John Howard Society. The John Howard Society will operate the McIntosh Road project.
B.C. Housing has said not all people to be housed at both locations will be addicts and there is a screening process for those who will be allowed to move in.
But, as was the case with residents in the Agassiz Road area, residents living near the planned McIntosh Road project said they have concerns with what residents will be allowed to do.
While conceding some neighbours have concerns, Howard said B.C. Housing and the John Howard Society were working to address them. She said area residents expressed a desire to become part of the community advisory committee for the McIntosh Road project once it is up and running.
Unlike the Agassiz Road project, the McIntosh Road facility will not require a public hearing before city council because the land does not need to be rezoned.
The two projects, along with two other similar supportive housing projects in the city香蕉视频直播攐n Commerce Avenue and on Highway 97 in a renovated former motel香蕉视频直播攁re in part a response to a call in the city香蕉视频直播檚 Journey Home initiative to address homelessness for the addition of more supportive housing in Kelowna. Journey Home calls for 300 more units of supportive housing in the city.
Between the two projects already up and running香蕉视频直播攃alled Hearthstone and Health House香蕉视频直播攁nd the two planned projects on Agassiz Road and McIntosh Road香蕉视频直播�200 of those units are being provided.
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