Vancouver city council has approved a new East Vancouver supportive housing amid concerns from the nearby Italian Cultural Centre.
Council approved the development at a public hearing Tuesday evening, with the requirement that city staff engage further with the centre, and that the facility’s operator create a community advisory committee and include the centre.
The proposal will see the development of a six-storey building with 64 units of social housing at 2518 Grandview Highway South, just east of Nanaimo Street.
It will be operated by Community Builders, a non-profit organization that provides low-barrier housing to people experiencing homelessness, with units offered at the shelter rate of $375 per month.
Italian Cultural Centre executive director Mario Miceli told Global News Tuesday that his organization had only recently learned the facility appeared to be low-barrier, meaning it could be home to some of the hardest-to-house people, including those with drug and mental health issues.
He said he was concerned the facility may not be able to offer the proper supports for those residents, and that there could be spillover issues to the surrounding community which includes daycare, seniors housing, an elementary school and sports fields.
“All we want to do is make sure that those in the facility are receiving the type of care they require so they are able to recover, able to do whatever the accomplishments of Community Builders will be, but also make sure that it isn’t infringing on the neighbourhood,” he said.
“We know how difficult it is to get that kind of assistance because it’s not readily available, so I am not confident it is going to be implemented here for 64 residents who all suffer from the same issue. Warehousing these people in a location I am not sure it’s conducive to the proper type of rehabilitation they require.”
Miceli said the Italian Cultural Centre has had previous issues with people living in camper vans on nearby Slocan Street, including daily drug use in its parking lot, requiring staff to do regular sweeps for used needles.
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“We’ve had the experience, and unfortunately those memories die hard,” Miceli said.
In a media release Tuesday morning, the Italian Cultural Centre took a more strident tone, declaring opposition to the project, and alleging “questionable” tactics on the part of the city and BC Housing, saying they had not been “forthcoming” with information on the development.
Community Builders has filed a draft operations management plan with the city as a part of the rezoning application being considered Tuesday, in which it laid out its plans for safety, security and resident supports.
According to the plan, the facility would be staffed 24-7 with a minimum of two resident support workers. It will also have a full-time operations manager, a full-time resident support coordinator, a full-time chef and a full-time home support worker on-site from Monday to Friday.
The facility’s doors would be alarmed and monitored by staff, and would also have a dedicated liaison with the Vancouver Police Department, according to the draft plan.
It also pledged rapid responsiveness to community concerns and said it was looking at creating a community advisory committee.
The rezoning application for the property was submitted in April 2022, and BC Housing solicited community feedback in the following months.
A summary of that feedback suggested “many” respondents supported the project, and the need for supportive housing for the homeless or those with addiction issues.
Others opposed the development saying it was “not appropriate for the surrounding neighborhood or community,” or said they would prefer to see housing for families developed at the site.
A number of respondents also stressed the need for adequate staffing and support for drug and mental health problems.
In a statement, BC Housing said it had selected the site with the City of Vancouver because it is “within a vibrant community near amenities, public transit and existing social services.”
“We reject the insinuation that people experiencing homelessness are dangerous. People become homeless for many different reasons. People who live in supportive homes include seniors, people living with disabilities, and individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences,” BC Housing said.
“Everyone deserves an opportunity to live within a community and given the urgent need for supportive homes in the community, it’s vital that we pursue every opportunity to increase safe, indoor housing stock.”
It added that people in all types of housing in the city make their own choices about using drugs or alcohol, but noted that staff would be on-site around the clock and supports at the building would include substance supports and mental health services.
Miceli argued that the Italian Cultural Centre was not opposed to helping those with social issues, pointing to the organization’s work to prepare meals for the Union Gospel Mission.
But he said he would rather see the land used to house low-income Vancouverites that do not have complex needs.
“What we would really like to support is that we house those who require the housing and support, families, single mothers, single fathers, people who will live in the facility and take advantage of this community and the community amenities we have,” he said.
“But we know people have to go somewhere. So if they have to go here, we want to make sure all of the risks are mitigated.”
The proposal comes as the B.C. government and City of Vancouver grapple with how to address the city’s ongoing homeless crisis, which includes encampments on the Downtown Eastside and at CRAB Park.
The Hastings Street encampment has been under an order from the city’s fire chief to remove structures due to life safety issues since July, but officials have struggled to clear it due to a lack of available housing units. In January 2022, a B.C. Supreme Court Judge refused an injunction application by the Vancouver Park Board to clear the CRAB Park encampment due to a lack of suitable housing alternatives
Premier David Eby pledged an action plan to address homeless encampments late last year.
Councillors were set to also consider a second, similar facility proposed for 1925 Southeast Marine Dr., which would deliver a six-storey building with 72 social housing units that would be operated by the Kettle Society.
Consideration of that project has been rescheduled for next week.
-With files from Grace Ke
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