The 55 modular housing units on Royal Crescent in downtown Maple Ridge will be ready for this fall, though B.C. Housing hasn’t yet given a move-in date.
The new housing is primarily to provide somewhere for the residents of Anita Place Tent City to live, allowing the clearing of the camp, now in its second year on St. Anne Avenue.
But as far as finding a new spot for another 85 units of supportive housing and shelter, the answer has never been further away.
While B.C. Housing proposed a location at 11769 Burnett St., council rejected that at first reading in June and asked the province for a more health-focused facility.
It was the third shelter location rejected in Maple Ridge.
And the provincial housing agency has said it’s up the city to find a location.
“B.C. Housing is ready and willing to work with the City of Maple Ridge to provide supportive housing and shelter replacement as soon as the city has identified one or more suitable locations …” said B.C. Housing earlier this month.
The move is a reversal of the scenario in 2015 and 2016, when Liberal MLAs were responsible for choosing a location for a shelter after being handed the task by council.
It’s again up to the city to find a location for a supportive housing and shelter complex.
Coun. Gordy Robson said if the government changes the operating model for such shelters to one that promotes recovery, with more focus on health care, instead of focusing on housing and harm reduction, he would consider such a facility for Burnett Street.
He cited a report by Dr. Evan Wood and Marshall Smith with the B.C. Centre on Substance Use, The Path Forward, that said B.C. has focused much of its attention to reducing disease and saving lives through public health measures.
The report said B.C. needs to establish an “evidence-based continuum of care, including building an effective and coordinated addiction treatment and recovery system that has traditionally been lacking.”
Robson said the government could adopt such a model after municipal elections in the fall or at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention next month.
If the government creates a new model, council could reconsider Burnett Street as a location.
“I don’t think the council, by majority, would want to build any more warehouses that were housing people in palliative care. What they’re doing is not working.”
He said once the 55 modular homes on Royal Crescent open, the need for more shelters or supportive housing will be reduced.
“But we do have people camping in the other parts of town, as well.”
B.C. Housing announced the modular housing facility without seeking council’s approval.
Mayoralty candidate Ernie Daykin said previously that, if elected, the new council should have another meeting with B.C. Housing.
He cited the success in Surrey with clearing up the Whalley strip and said more housing options in Maple Ridge could help reduce homelessness. He said it should be possible to find a location and operating model.
“I think one of the first meetings would be having the new council sitting down with staff and B.C. Housing to get the background, do some research and bring some examples of where it’s worked well.”
Mike Morden, also running for mayor, opposes the current model of modular housing proposed for Royal Crescent, saying it doesn’t provide the long-term care and treatment people need.
But, he added, there has to be a contract between the operator of the facility and the City of Maple Ridge, spelling out how the housing will function.
Coast Mental Health is operating the new housing, the same agency that now runs Alouette Heights supportive housing.
“There must be operator rules, accountability to the neighbourhood. You can’t impose something like that on a neighbourhood, otherwise you’re going to have crime and, currently, there are not going to be any operating rules and that’s unacceptable.”
He raised the question of safety conditions for Anita Place Tent City set out in a court ruling, that can’t be enforced.
“I was in the camp a week ago and I can tell you that what I saw inside there was pretty frightening.”
He wants to know why they can’t be enforced.
Maple Ridge fire department tried two weeks ago to improve safety conditions at the camp in cooperation with residents, but failed.
But the department met again last week with residents, leading to some progress being made, said Listen Chen, with Alliance Against Displacement.
Coun. Craig Speirs, also running for mayor, favours both the modular units on Royal Crescent and the B.C. Housing proposal on Burnett Street.
He said previously that he wants the community and council to “embrace solutions as they’re offered” in order to get people off the streets.