Council blind to downtown woes

Dear Editor: I’ve just finished reading Journey Home: Kelowna’s Homeless Strategy Community Report for the second time. There are observations I would like to make.

I’m extremely saddened by the sorry state of our downtown core. In the last few years, it has become a total disgrace.

In reference to the report, it’s plain to see that there are two distinct problems.

The first problem is the homeless who are homeless through no fault of their own, due to circumstances such as change in finances, lack of affordable housing, eviction for re-development, violence, etc.

The second problem is the entrenched street population.

According to the report, 26 per cent of the homeless on our streets moved here in the last year. They moved here already homeless and did not lose housing once they arrived in Kelowna.

A percentage of this population has no desire to reside in regular housing, receive help from established resources, or change their lifestyle to conform to supportive housing.

The Journey Home strategy will help by focusing on housing for people who want help and, in this case, I believe we should pursue the strategy as much as possible.

The main problem is that the strategy is short millions of dollars in funding and the taxpayers of Kelowna are in danger of picking up the tab.

The mayor and council have already pledged close to half a million dollars just for start-up costs and there is no real plan on how to handle the two distinct homeless populations.

The influx of people who are already homeless does not appear to be slowing.

By the time the strategy can be implemented, it will suffer an even greater lack of funding. Possibly there could be some synergy with First Nations as 26 per cent of homeless are Indigenous, which speaks to other more deep-seated problems than homelessness.

Between now and any actions arising from the report, I think it’s time the mayor and council showed some leadership and started putting Kelowna businesses and taxpayers first.

Ban shopping carts in any form from the downtown area. Don’t allow people to lie or sit on the sidewalks and streets.

On Leon Avenue, the sidewalk is lined with buggies and people, while the Gospel Mission courtyard sits almost empty.

Ensure council has a say in any building that is proposed for use as a shelter. The old A & B Sound building was supposed to be used for one winter and it was just extended for another three years without a peep from council, thus ruining another block of Leon.

There is an election coming up on Oct. 20. Let’s elect people who will stand up for the citizens and business owners of Kelowna. Graeme James, Kelowna