Hundreds of residents showed up to learn more about proposed modular housing for homeless people and gave their feedback to the city at an event held inside Richmond Public Library on Wednesday afternoon.
Residents read English and Chinese information billboards, chatted with representatives from the city, and filled out questionnaires about the proposed 40-unit temporary housing site at 7300 Elmbridge Way.
Brighouse residents were divided over the site, with some in favor, while others questioned the city’s choice of a residential area.
“It’s good for the government to find homes for the homeless, but I think they’ve made a mistake on the site selection,” said Shirley Lu, who is in a Wechat group of 500 Brighouse residents opposed to the project.
“It puts a lot of seniors and children in our neighbourhood at risk, especially when we have many seniors who don’t speak English. A small misunderstanding can end in a conflict unless there is efficient communication.”
Almost 500 attendees who were against the project signed a petition in the first hour of the event.
The petition organizer, who asked to remain anonymous, said, “the proposed housing will only be here for five years, so why not spend the money on building permanent housing elsewhere?”
B.C. Housing has confirmed that if the project is approved, the city will remove the housing after five years. Residents living on the site will then be expected to move to regular housing or other transition homes.
Despite these concerns, other residents thought the project should still go ahead.
Local resident John Ens, citing a recent count of 70 homeless people in Richmond, said, “I think the city needs more places for homeless people; right now we are not meeting people’s needs. I’m really surprised there is so much opposition to the project. I don’t understand why.”
Kehui Au has lived in Richmond for 10 years and also believes that the site is ideal for homeless people.
“The site is close to the food bank, banks, and public transit; it’s also easy to look for jobs within walking distance if you do not have a car or money. The location could help homeless people integrate into society sooner,” said Au.
Safety risks voiced by other residents did not concern Au, “there is no evidence that homeless people will pose a risk to the safety of our neighbourhood. Many homeless people are nice.”
The City’s affordable housing coordinator, Joyce Rautenberg, told the News that she will submit all feedback to the council, who is expected to make a decision about the site in March.
“We understand their concerns, but we want to reassure people that the city is committed to working closely with the neighbourhood to address any concerns that come up, and we want to make sure that this project will be well managed and run professionally,” said Rautenberg.
The housing project will include the provision of two staff to work on the site 24/7, and a contact person for people to call if there are any concerns, by RainCity Housing.
Rautenberg added that should the project be approved, construction will start in the summer or fall, and residents will begin moving in as early as the end of this year.
B.C. Housing will provide funding for whole project, which includes units with a kitchen and bathroom, and the provision of meals, skills training and healthcare.
All the units will be provided to homeless people from Richmond.
Further information and an online survey is available on LetsTalkRichmond.ca until Sunday, March 4.
