WHEREAS Cobourg is a compassionate community, we the undersigned ask Northumberland County and the Town of Cobourg to:

1. Designate Transition House as true transition house supporting low-risk, unsheltered residents seeking permanent housing;
2. Conduct a risk assessment (or environmental scan) to determine the risks of locating a high capacity, low-barrier emergency shelter in residential and business areas;
3. Establish a specialized emergency shelter supporting those who are living with addictions, psychiatric disabilities, and dual diagnoses near emergency and support services.

We ask for these measures because:

• There has been a significant increase in acts of public opioid and other drug use, public safety concerns, violence, threats, intimidation and other law-breaking activities in the surrounding residential neighbourhood and business areas;
• Transition House is currently acting as a primarily publicly-funded, high capacity, low-barrier emergency shelter facility located in a family-oriented neighbourhood; and,
• The Northumberland Housing and Homelessness Plan 2014-2023 specifically calls for an examination of the existing shelter system and for an expansion of services.

More information: http://goodneighbourscoalition.org/