25967 replies to this topic

[Midnightly]

and what is her plan for the "bunch of people housing won't work for" and those "who are banned from shelters"  if people cannot work within the confines of what has been offered (shelter) then what are the other options? allow tent cities to bloom everywhere creating the violence/theft community frustrations wherever they go?

 

i think it's time to go back and look at the original law that that allowed those to put up temporary shelter if there is no shelter available... and look at where it has gone wrong.. take a look at the homeless situation then to how it is now... has this tenting in parks helped or hurt the homeless numbers.. has it added to the problems or solved any problems... and ofcourse look into how communities with larger homeless populations are handling this...

 

the reality is that the reason our police budget is soo high is in large part due to the homeless/mental health/shelters issue within the city... and it's the city stuck paying the bill not the province chipping in and we're probably not the only city facing this issue

[TFord]

The B.C. government has signed a “historic” but ambitious agreement with the City of Vancouver and the park board to end the Strathcona Park homeless camp by the end of April and prevent future encampments in the city.

 

The memorandum of understanding announced Monday sets out some lofty goals considering the city’s history of encampments and the failure of previous governments to respond to Vancouver’s ever-growing homelessness crisis.

 

One of the key commitments from the provincial government is written on page three of the document, which reads:

“To work with government partners to fund and develop temporary and permanent housing options to reduce the number of unsheltered residents in parks and public spaces to zero and to create flow in established shelter and supportive housing.”

 

The city’s main role in the agreement will be to provide land for housing or shelter “and to expedite land use decisions necessary to rapidly respond to housing need,” the document said.

 

The park board also must enforce its parks control bylaw to keep people from setting up encampments, but only when “suitable spaces are available for people to move indoors.”

 

The agreement comes after David Eby, B.C.’s attorney general and minister responsible for housing, promised in February that every person in Strathcona Park would be moved into some form of shelter by the end of April.

 

 

https://www.vancouve...ncouver-3608409

 

 

 

 

 

 

'They'll be on the street again'

 

"I think it's impossible to achieve," said Anna Cooper, staff lawyer with Pivot Legal Society.

 

"For a short period of time you'll have some people indoors," said Cooper. "Then a bunch of people — that housing won't work for them — they'll be evicted, they'll be banned from a shelter, they'll be on the street again."

 

Cooper also worries about the hundreds of other homeless people who aren't living at Strathcona Park, and won't be included in this effort to house people. She predicts before long, people will again gravitate to an encampment type of situation.

 

University of Victoria researcher Bernie Pauly doesn't think there will be enough housing available in the province's capital by the end of the month, despite the promise of 280 supportive housing units coming to the area.

 

She said she's concerned about public reaction when they inevitably still see unhoused people in Victoria in May.

 

"My biggest worry is that, you know, some of the backlash is going to land on homeless people instead of on governments," said Pauly.

 

Pauly told CBC's On The Island on Wednesday that she also worries the province will put people into shelter-like settings in Victoria if they do not have enough individual units by April 30 and that while there would be health and safety measures in place, multiple people living together could create more opportunities for the virus to spread.

 

"We have a serious situation when we are placing people into congregate settings," she said.

 

 

https://www.cbc.ca/n...ioned-1.5977648

 

If this fails and it will, David Eby needs to go! he falls on his sword.

 

TFord 

[Victoria Watcher]

.. and ofcourse look into how communities with larger homeless populations are handling this...

 

there are none.  on a per capita basis.  victoria is the largest population in north america.

[Victoria Watcher]

White Spot Hospitality has asked franchisee Al Mansfield to step back from day-to-day operations at his Penticton restaurant after he left a load of dog poo on the walkway at a homeless shelter in the Okanagan city.

 

The incident happened Tuesday morning and according to Tony Laing, operator of Compass House Shelter, Mansfield didn't try to be sneaky about the deposit.

 

"He was confronted when he did it. He didn't try to keep it a secret," said Laing.

 

Warren Erhart, president of White Spot Hospitality, sent CBC News a written statement on Wednesday acknowledging the incident.

 

 

 

https://www.cbc.ca/n...g-poo-1.5979214

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 April 2021 - 03:00 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

A homeless count will be conducted in Penticton on April 20, to get a better picture of how many people are living rough or in shelters.

 

A count of those using shelters and living on the streets of Penticton will be the focus of the provincially-funded homeless count.

 

The last count was in 2018 when 108 people in Penticton were identified as experiencing homelessness in the ‘Point in Time’ count.

 

Since then, there is an estimated 140 people experiencing homelessness in Penticton, according to 100 More Homes Penticton which will be conducting a separate count of those experiencing homelessness and where they are from.

 

“The homeless population in Penticton is bigger than the shelters currently can handle, with 74 beds that are full every night,” said Tony Laing, of Penticton And District Society for Community Living that operates both Victory Church and Compass House homeless shelters.

 

 

 

 

https://www.penticto...t-in-penticton/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 April 2021 - 03:01 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

High prices for social housing defended by unlikely allies

 

One of the recent purchases, 225 Russell St. cost $9.3 million. That’s a significant jump from the $3.4 million paid for the same property just a few months ago by a Victoria investor.

 

Some real estate insiders suggested the $9.3 million price was way out of line, but the province defended the deal saying it paid what the property was worth in its highest and best use.

 

A spokesman for the Attorney General Ministry, responsible for B.C. Housing, said an independent appraisal of the property was conducted by Phung Horwood on March 25, putting a value of $8.1 million on the property. “When the property was previously sold, the listing only included the price for the land and existing building on-site,” the spokesman said.

 

“Our acquisition of the property was unique, as it included $8 million not just for the land and building, but also for design and construction costs for the future conversion of the existing building into a 40-unit permanent supportive housing building, as well as renovations required to set up a temporary shelter for 70 people.”

 

A B.C. Housing spokesperson said its real estate team strives to purchase properties that reflect the best value for taxpayer dollars.

 

 

 

https://www.timescol...lies-1.24304568

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 April 2021 - 05:41 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

School board members ask city of Seattle not to clear homeless camps on school property

 

Parents are feeling increasingly frustrated over two homeless encampments near Seattle schools.

Some campers are actually on school property. With some students back in class this week, parents are worried about their kids’ safety.

 

“I just think it’s a recipe for disaster,” said Serena Evans, a parent. She’s the guardian for her nephew, who attends Broadview-Thomson Elementary in Seattle’s Bitter Lake neighborhood.

 

Parents in the area say people started camping behind the school’s playground last summer, but now the group has swelled to more than 50 tents. They recently sent a letter to the district and city, asking for help.

 

https://www.kiro7.co...PGEOIFF5WT5SW4/

 

Multiple Seattle School Board members, including board president Hampson and School Board Chair of Operations Committee Zachary DeWolf shared a statement on Facebook saying in part:

 

“Our students deserve to see the adults in their lives behave compassionately… we demand sweeps never be used on school grounds, adjacent or elsewhere in this City.”

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 April 2021 - 06:08 AM.

[Nparker]

“Our students deserve to see the adults in their lives behave compassionately… we demand sweeps never be used on school grounds, adjacent or elsewhere in this City.”

Parents: "Our students deserve to see the "adults" in the school board office take action, not exacerbate the problem."

It is beyond contemptible to use children as a political tool. Shame on the school board members for this deplorable stance.

[A Girl is No one]

If this fails and it will, David Eby needs to go! he falls on his sword.

TFord

With the following caveat, it will fail (at least from tax payer- park using perspective):
« The park board also must enforce its parks control bylaw to keep people from setting up encampments, but only when “suitable spaces are available for people to move indoors.”« 

Many will reject the housing options offered and thus will be allowed to continue living in parks. And the activists have enough people to fill tents beyond the new capacity and import yet more people from other provinces. What was Eby thinking? Or is the Pivot Legal society activist in him still dominant over his ministerial responsibilities?

[Mike K.]

High prices for social housing defended by unlikely allies

 

One of the recent purchases, 225 Russell St. cost $9.3 million. That’s a significant jump from the $3.4 million paid for the same property just a few months ago by a Victoria investor.

 

Some real estate insiders suggested the $9.3 million price was way out of line, but the province defended the deal saying it paid what the property was worth in its highest and best use.

 

A spokesman for the Attorney General Ministry, responsible for B.C. Housing, said an independent appraisal of the property was conducted by Phung Horwood on March 25, putting a value of $8.1 million on the property. “When the property was previously sold, the listing only included the price for the land and existing building on-site,” the spokesman said.

 

“Our acquisition of the property was unique, as it included $8 million not just for the land and building, but also for design and construction costs for the future conversion of the existing building into a 40-unit permanent supportive housing building, as well as renovations required to set up a temporary shelter for 70 people.”

 

A B.C. Housing spokesperson said its real estate team strives to purchase properties that reflect the best value for taxpayer dollars.

 

 

 

https://www.timescol...lies-1.24304568

 

 

This is a fairly poor explanation for a property being purchased in late 2020 for $3.4 million, selling for an appraised value of $8.1 million three months later.

[North Shore]

F@##K!!! Doesn't everyone wish they could get in on a government-backed investment plan like that!

[Victoria Watcher]

it didn’t make much sense.

[sebberry]

This is a fairly poor explanation for a property being purchased in late 2020 for $3.4 million, selling for an appraised value of $8.1 million three months later.

 

Still fishy.  Are they saying that they've pre-paid for future design and construction in that $9.3M?  How much went to the former owner, and how much is sitting in an account for future design and construction?

[TFord]

Agree we need answers fast.

 

Was this building sold to BC housing by a used car salesman? I mean seriously, tell me it isn't so?

 

TFord

[spanky123]

This is a fairly poor explanation for a property being purchased in late 2020 for $3.4 million, selling for an appraised value of $8.1 million three months later.

 

Even better look at Prosser. Bare 1 acre assessed at $3M and sold for $3M last summer but BC Housing pays $13M+ for it

[JohnsonStBridge]

Did the appraiser only consider similar properties purchased (overpaid) by BC Housing to be market transactions?

[spanky123]

Did the appraiser only consider similar properties purchased (overpaid) by BC Housing to be market transactions?

 

I am guessing that the appraiser provides an appraisal based on instructions from its client.

Edited by spanky123, 08 April 2021 - 12:19 PM.

[rmpeers]

Waiting for the launch of the Red Cedar Real Estate Corporation.

[On the Level]

Waiting for the launch of the Red Cedar Real Estate Corporation Commune.

 

[Awaiting Juno]

 

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the city buy the lot across from Our Place for more social housing? It would seem that the Real Estate empire building is already well underway.