Kelowna, B.C., residents should expect to see tiny homes popping up in three spots around the city in the weeks and months to come, though where they will go remains to be seen.
The plan to address the needs of Kelowna’s unhoused population with 120 tiny homes was unveiled in a joint announcement between the province and the City of Kelowna Thursday. The 60-square-foot units, which should be built in the next few months, are the fastest and most cost-effective way to meet that community’s needs, Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas said.
“I’ve been in them, it creates a great environment. There’s a very warm area, there’s a bed that’s provided, there’s a dresser that’s provided, there’s an area to hang clothes that’s provided,” Dyas said. “It’s the best possible solution that we can do with the need that is in front of us very quickly.”
Once the units are built, non-profits will provide support services such as daily meals, 24-7 staffing, access to skills training and support navigating the housing system. Individuals moving into these new homes will be assessed and matched with appropriate support. A communal washroom and meal area will be provided separate from the units.
Dyas said the three locations of these tiny homes will be finalized and announced in the weeks to come. While he is aware that there is often backlash in neighbourhoods where social supports are proposed, Dyas indicated the vast majority of people are keen on making sure everyone has shelter when winter rolls in.
Ravi Kahlon, minister of housing, said the tiny homes offer a “dedicated unit for (people) to sleep in safely” and have already been used for the unhoused communities in Victoria and Duncan. Kelowna will be the first place in B.C.’s Interior to go that route.
“Certainly, what we’re looking to do here is learn from Kelowna, where there is a different type of conditions…. It’s a little bit colder in the winter, a little bit warmer in the summers,” Kahlon said.
“So seeing how it works here is going to be very important for us to see how we roll out but also the approach being taken in Kelowna is a little different because it’s a recognition that different types of housing is needed for different types of people.”
Kahlon said they’re working with “a cross-coordinated table” to identify individuals that would be better suited for supportive housing in the traditional form, and maybe in the form of tiny homes.
“Of course, if it’s successful, we will look to do it in more communities around the province,” he said.
Supportive housing at a purpose-built site, Kahlon pointed out, doesn’t work for everyone.
“We also hear from individuals who haven’t lived with anyone else for a long time, and they find it really challenging to go into a site where there’s a lot of people close to them,” he said.
“At this stage, we’re willing to try anything innovative that will help people stay housed because that’s the ultimate goal.”
Kelowna’s unhoused population at last count was more than double the 120 units that are expected to be up and running before winter reaches its coldest point.
According to the most recent data from the City of Kelowna’s bylaw services, the number of people appearing to be sheltering outdoors daily in the downtown core, North End, which includes the rail trail, Midtown and Rutland was 299 at its peak. The September average was 262, the highest monthly average counted, and up from 161 last year, or a 63 per cent increase.
Currently, there are a total of 273 shelter beds, which have been at a 90-95 per cent occupancy, or 260 people.
The city and the province signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that clarifies the roles and responsibilities of the province and city to prioritize the health and safety of people sheltering outdoors and create new temporary housing options to transition people who are currently in encampments to indoors.
This includes rapid development of new shelter and housing options, as well as a more co-ordinated approach to outreach and support services. Through the MOU, the city commits to bring forward available land and expedite land-use decisions for new shelter and supportive-housing projects.
In addition, the province and city are partnering to implement Homeless Encampment Action Response Teams, a new multidisciplinary regional program designed to rapidly respond to encampments to better support people sheltering outdoors to move inside.
The program will bring together the provincial and local governments, Indigenous partners, health-care agencies and non-profit organizations to quickly assess the needs of people sheltering in encampments and provide rapid access to the supports and services they need to find a home.
Health, sanitation, income, harm reduction, fire safety, and social and cultural supports will all be provided through the program.
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