The Alderbridge supportive housing building will be under city council’s scrutiny next week.
The 40-unit low-barrier residential building for people who were homeless or at risk of homelessness has been operational for about four years, but its lease is running out next year.
An extra community safety meeting is being held on Monday to look at "complex questions" regarding the building and activities around it.
However, there is no information from city staff about the questions raised by Coun. Alexa Loo two weeks ago, which appears to be the genesis of this extra meeting.
Topics include looking at the “effectiveness” of the current operator, RainCity, and at “statistics on the success of the recovery/housing journey of past and present residents.”
Furthermore, they are asking the Vancouver Coastal Health medical health officer be invited to present on overdose deaths in Richmond and the number of overdoses occurring in residential homes compared to those on the street or in the temporary modular buildings.
The building is located on city land and the end of the lease is also noted as a topic of discussion at this extra meeting.
A second temporary modular residential building, Aster Place, opened last fall near Costco on Smith Street.
In making the referral, Loo said some hotels within the vicinity of the temporary modular building claimed their security costs had increased 300 per cent.
Normally, when a city councillor asks for a referral to staff – which has to be approved by the majority of city councillors - it comes back several months or possibly a year later with in-depth staff reports.
There are no city staff reports on the agenda for Monday’s extra meeting.
