Dear Editor,
Re: “Children and seniors are vulnerable, too,” Letters, May 3.
As one who also attended a city-led Temporary Modular Housing (TMH) forum, I was surprised at Ms Liu’s take on the session and the issue.
First, it was obvious to me that the five-minute Storeys video showed people who were safely housed, people who might otherwise be homeless — it put a face to those who will benefit from the proposed project.
Second, as a potential TMH neighbour, I know that the people who will be offered housing in the project are those who already live near us...but “in the rough.” If these people are able to move out of doorways, staircases, Minoru Park and other outside spaces, into the TMH facility where they have a roof over their head, a bed to sleep on and resources to regain control over their lives, surely they will be safer...and us too. It seems to me the fears Ms Liu has should be much higher now, when these people are desperate for life’s essentials.
I sincerely hope our council will say “yes” to this project.
Julie Halfnights
RICHMOND
Letter: Kids not a threat
Dear Editor,
Have I missed something? I was taken aback by Kate Liu’s letter, in which she expresses concern about the possibility of some of the homeless people tracking or brutally abusing members of “her” community. I’ve not heard that homeless people pose a particularly great danger, even with 12 kindergartens, an elementary school, a central park, senior center, swimming center, playground and soccer field nearby. Is it fair to suspect that they’re guilty until proven innocent? It’s tragic that Liu and like-minded people fear that TMH could “mess up” their community. I believe that it’s to the homeless, rather than to the complainants, that we should “show mercy.”
Sabine Eiche
RICHMOND
