Doubts loom over homeless plan
MAPLE RIDGE INITIATIVE: Residents, campers ‘skeptical’ about what city’s task force will reveal
As the number of people camping on a Maple Ridge street continues to grow, residents and campers have doubts that a city plan to deal with homelessness will be successful.
“I am skeptical,” said Mike Homen, who lives across the street from the campers. “I don’t know if they will accept the help. Sure, there’s a lot of money being spent and a lot of good mind power here, but if people don’t want it … ”
People have been camping in the greenbelt adjacent to Cliff Avenue for years, however, after a fence was erected and bylaw enforcement relaxed in the area, the camp expanded and became more visible.
As part of Mayor Nicole Read’s campaign promises and in response to concerns about the camp, the city formed a Homelessness Solutions Task Force to provide “an integrated approach to deal with the issues around homelessness ... ”
The city has said it intends to reveal the full scope of the task force’s plans next Thursday.
However, residents and homeless campers who attended a special council meeting Tuesday said the plan might not be enough.
“There’s not really anything different than what they’ve said all along,” said Dr. Liz Zubek, who has advocated for the homeless in the camp and has an office across the street. “I’m very skeptical.”
On April 28, council voted to spend $160,000 for four outreach workers for up to six months, up to $75,000 for consulting services to assess current social-service provisions, up to $65,000 for a staff person to assist the task force and $25,000 for security services.
On May 12, council voted to enter into operating grants with Alouette Addictions Services and the Canadian Mental Health Association.
People from those groups will work on a team to link people to the services they need.
There will also be a community standards team, a strong kids team and another team working on a housing action plan. Read said she has met regularly with residents of the street and the homeless camp and said that their ideas are being seriously considered by the city.
Two examples are funding for security services and a suggestion for a temporary homeless camp that is being reviewed by the city’s legal department.
“There’s not a single moment that I wake up that this is not on my mind,” Read said. “We’re trying to deal with it in a way that’s respectful and steeped in dignity.”
Read said ultimately they need housing and the city has had conversations with a number of agencies and groups on that topic, but other levels of government need to step up.
“The reality is we have an increasing number of people on our streets,” Read said. “We need funding to be able to provide solutions for this increasing population ... ”
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