What is a good start helping everyone find the kind of home they? What about mental health and emotional trauma? There many issues leading into why the crisis happening but the government wants us think it is only about supply and demand. The housing supply is down in comparison to the number of immigrants coming into the country do to different global problems and British Columbia needs to the right to help ease these issues. The real problems lay in the mental and emotional issues. Soem of the emotional issues are coming from economics of the situation that the cost of living far out ways the wages people are bringing home. The fact that many employers refuse to hire fulltime staff. Not being able to afford a home hurt and can cause depression and trauma. There are mental health issue that cause people to live on the streets and we need to look to more than medication and chemicals fix those problems and we find some real answers to ending homelessness.
From the Government of Britsh Columbia
An important step in breaking the cycle of homelessness in Abbotsford has been completed with the closure of the Lonzo Road and Sumas Way encampment and the start of construction on a new 50-bed shelter.
“We understand it is a challenging situation for those who were sheltering at the site, and for people currently experiencing homelessness in Abbotsford,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing. “We have made progress with the site now cleared and people sheltering at the encampment who accepted offers for shelter have received it, but there is more work to do. I want to thank the local outreach workers, and staff from BC Housing, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, for their work supporting individuals through this process.”
The Lonzo Road site is now closed to the public and has been fenced off to ensure building crews have access to prepare for construction of the 50-bed shelter.
The 17 people sheltering at the encampment were offered indoor housing. Those who accepted were assisted in moving to shelter spaces or were provided rent supplements for use in the private market. Others relocated without assistance.
Construction of the new shelter is expected to be complete by the end of 2023. Once complete, the shelter will operate for as long as 18 months, while a new permanent shelter location is secured. The Province, through BC Housing, is investing approximately $4 million through the Homeless Action Plan for the new Lonzo shelter. It will be operated by the Lookout Housing and Health Society.
With the site now secure, the Province will partner with Abbotsford to implement the new Homeless Encampment Action Response Teams (HEART) program this fall and support people in encampments on the path to stable housing.
The Province will also continue to implement Belonging in BC, government’s plan to address homelessness. The plan will also add 3,900 new supportive housing units and 240 complex-care spaces provincewide.
This project is part of a $19-billion housing investment by the B.C. government. Since 2017, the Province has more than 76,000 new homes that have been delivered or are underway, including nearly 480 homes in Abbotsford.
For information about the Abbotsford Lonzo Road site, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HOUS0069-000928
To learn about government’s new Homes for People action plan, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2023HOUS0019-000436
To learn more about the HEART and HEARTH programs, visit: https://www.bchousing.org/housing-assistance/homelessness-services/HEART-HEARTH
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