Dear Editor,
It appears as if Richmond is following in Vancouver’s foot-steps on many issues these days. Like Vancouver’s little brother, we seems to be reluctant to make a serious decision for ourselves.
Vancouver city council has said it will build more affordable housing in response to a growing need. Where does Richmond stand? Richmond’s council needs to show us, the residents, that they understand that our city is different from Vancouver. There is obviously a huge gap between the rich and poor in Richmond. People are somehow able to afford multi-million dollar homes, which are supposed to bring in thousands of dollars in property tax to the city, and yet we somehow lack the funds for social housing, a shelter for women and children, and enough mental health teams to address the growing number of mental health related RCMP calls.
When did Richmond become an enclave for the rich? Something smells here, and it isn’t the composting facility.
City hall needs to wake up and attend to the needs of those who need it most. It can’t brush poverty, mental illness and homelessness under a rug and hope it goes away.
Just because Richmond is an island, does not mean we are not affected by the social issues of our province and our country.
As a volunteer at Chimo Crisis Services, I know one of the biggest issues is housing. Many seniors are being forced out of their homes because they cann’t afford to pay rent, or due to shady landlord practices. Should seniors be forced out on to the streets? Social housing needs to happen NOW!
Peter Sammarco
Richmond
