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Kamloops  

Residents concerned about supportive housing at Fortune Motel, saying more information from BC Housing needed

Fortune Motel a concern

Residents are voicing concerns about the Fortune Motel reopening as supportive housing, saying a lack of communication from the province has left them worried the facility will only add to crime and social issues in the neighbourhood.

BC Housing announced they had purchased the North Shore property — located at Vernon Avenue and Fortune Drive — over a month ago, saying it will be turned into temporary supportive housing.

BC Housing said they will would then work with the city and community on a plan for a permanent, long-term use for the motel property.

Kathrine Wunderlich, a North Kamloops resident, recently wrote a letter to BC Housing expressing concern about the purchase.

"The government doesn't really have, or they're not at least saying what their strategic plan is for that property,” Wunderlich told Castanet Kamloops.

“That’s one of the reasons why people don't know and they get fearful. And [BC Housing] has said they don't know what a long term plan for that is. So, is it going to be where people can openly do drugs in their room or is it going to be a dry home? Or better yet, it would be better served if it was for the working poor.”

Wunderlich said she has lived on and off in Kamloops throughout her life, but moved back to the city four years ago.

“I couldn’t believe the state of Tranquille [Road]. You walk down the street, there’s people openly doing drugs. They’re openly sleeping on the street, harassing the businesses and the patrons that go in,” she said.

“I worked in downtown Vancouver, at Rogers Arena. I worked there for 14 years. And Tranquille is comparable to East Hastings. …I wasn't actually afraid to walk down East Hastings but here I am. They're aggressive. And they seem to think that they have blanket immunity for mental health.”

Wunderlich said there is a need for housing, but she is concerned the concentration of homes and shelters for those using drugs have created a “boiling pot.”

She said for her, the purchase of the Fortune Motel was the last straw.

“The government did it under secrecy. There was no public consultation, there was no forum for the public to say, listen, we don’t need any more of this in our neighbourhood,” Wunderlich said.

Castanet has reached out to BC Housing for comment and is waiting for a response.

Peter Milobar, MLA for Kamloops-North Thompson, said he has also heard North Shore residents saying they are concerned about the unknowns.

“We don't know who the housing provider will be. We don't know what the clientele will be. And we don't know what type of supports will be provided for that clientele,” Milobar said.

Milobar said he believes residents would be understanding if the housing project was for single mothers and their children, seeing as though there is proximity to an elementary school.

However, he said if the homes are for the “hard to house” with no proper supports available, “you can see why a neighbourhood would suddenly be nervous.”

Milobar said he has seen the provincial government add housing, but a lack of funding available for supports has created an increase in social and public disorder.

“It's in cities all across this province. That would indicate to me after four years, the government is still not properly addressing that overall support system, despite what they may say,” Milobar said.

He said communities themselves also need help and support.

“You cannot just simply focus on one segment, in terms of people that need that help and support, and let a neighbourhood bear the brunt of that with whole finding ways to support that neighbourhood as well.”

Milobar said a cost — especially in terms of police and bylaw resourcing — has been added to local governments as they must mitigate issues stemming from a lack of provincial support.

“Housing, and those types of social programming supports — especially to this level — is not supposed to be funded through property taxation. And municipalities, generally speaking, do not have the resources to adequately and properly fund and support those,” Milobar said.

“It just speaks to the province dropping in housing, but not dropping in the proper supports to go around that housing, creating a mass turmoil in that community, pitting neighbours versus social agencies.”

Milobar said many social agencies have been in neighbourhoods for years, historically working well with residents.

“It’s the social agencies that are being underfunded by the province, but locally, they're the ones that get the finger pointed at them,” he said.

“We really need to try to figure out a way to get the province to understand that those supports just simply are not there, they need to be there, and that the community members are not saying that these are people that should not receive support and help, but again, they’re not seeing that support or that help coming.”

For her part, Wunderlich said she would like to see a citizens assembly created, improving communication between residents and governments and determining the best steps forward.

“Let the citizens — along with the government and along with all of the stakeholders — say, how can we fix this problem,” she said.

“Right now it’s a band-aid solution. And the only way we're going to fix it is by having all the stakeholders together, and determine which direction we should go.”



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