Dear friends and community,

BC Housing has submitted its rezoning application to the City of Vancouver for one of its largest ever, 129 single unit, 13-Storey (equivalent of 18 standard storeys in height), up to 100% Low Barrier Supportive Housing. The Proposed Building would operate without a required provision of clinical care on-site for mental health and additions, in a neighbourhood without clinical supports located on Arbutus Street between 7th and 8th Avenues just 18 metres away from an elementary school with 450 children.

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The Public Hearing for the Arbutus 7th/8th supportive housing project site was announced for June 28th, 6pm.

Registration to speak began June 17th at 8:30am.

Please send in your written comments, and select “OPPOSE” if you are opposed, through the online form so it will be counted in the total tally by staff.

https://council.vancouver.ca/20220628/phea20220628ag.htm

Helpful links, instructions here:

https://www.kitsilanocoalition.org/june28

Points to consider, below: 

After nearly one year of research and meeting with various community organizations, locals, schools, business associations, resident associations, VPD, senior living, women's and First Nations organizations, we have learned these are the top concerns and reasons why we are OPPOSED to the proposed rezoning for development:

> The applicants falsely assert that only 3% of the homeless population have children, thereby trying to justify the use of single rooms only. It is not only a false figure, but in fact, 25% of those homeless have children, although most have had to place children in someone else’s care. We have heard gripping stories of families that have had to separate in order to receive housing.  Source page 10 of the Call to Action. 

> The Proposed Building containing only studio suites in itself acts as a barrier to entry, precluding families and precludes companionship with others and findings reveal that both the presence of family and companionship play an important role in the recovery. Source 

> Dr. Julian Somers, a clinical psychologist and international expert on public policies related to addiction and mental health states: Congregating people with mental health and addiction issues in a single building does not work. High quality research clearly demonstrates the desirability and effectiveness of providing independent recovery-oriented housing that is scattered throughout neighbourhoods and cities. Independent Recovery Oriented Housing differs from congregate housing,  in that it allows individuals suffering mental health and addictions to live independently as a small percent of building tenants. Support and clinical care is brought to them when they are ready. They choose their location based on options but are not congregated.  As summarized by Dr. Somers, "People with mental illness and addiction have limited opportunities to recover when they are forced to live with others who struggle with the same issues. When they are asked, the vast majority prefer independent housing. Clinical experience and evidence clearly demonstrate that if you concentrate people who are mentally unwell and addicted into a single building the chances of success are virtually non-existent." Source

> The Proposed Building containing only studio suites excludes companionship + families including vulnerable women-led families with children. Zero consideration for the feedback that an alternative composition of women and women-led families would meet an unfulfilled need in Vancouver and would receive widespread community support. The fact remains that the existing community has long demonstrated both emotional, practical and financial support for homeless and endangered women and women-led families at the neighbouring Sancta Maria Home. The references below support the theory that a winning solution for the site would be to house women and women-led families fleeing abuse in Vancouver.

> The Proposed Building is suggested for the site in the centre of an elementary school campus that spans two blocks along West 7th. The entire campus would then envelope + converge two large vulnerable populations, 500 children ages 3-12 and 129 single adults that are suffering from mental health and addiction. 

> Community integration is recognized as a meaningful goal that is highly relevant to the long-term success of supportive housing programs. The benefits of CI are numerous and include physical, social, psychological, health and quality of life related outcomes. Juxtapositioning a site within which no children can live or even enter for their safety (according to BC Housing) in the centre of an elementary school campus poses an insurmountable obstacle to Community Integration. We respectfully + collectively say to CoV planners + BC Housing that if they had composed the building with families (ex: women + women-led families in desperate need, starting with the 5 families daily that call the Battered Women Services Society) that we wouldn’t be having this conversation at all.

> The proposal is greatly concerning to the women's supportive recovery home in the vicinity that the site will not be abstinence/recovery based, that the site have an injection amenity space and require no violent offender/criminal background checks. Even with minimal screening of tenants this may expose the most vulnerable women who have made conscious effort to leave their
past lives and be in a safe community. It is well known that the chance for relapses increase knowing there could be access to safe injection on site. If the City of Vancouver are proponents for helping the most vulnerable, then we would like assurance on how the city will also protect these vulnerable women next door to this type of housing complex.

> Lack of Clinical Care on site - BCH has stipulated that there would be no mental health or addictions services on site other than a safe injection amenity and that non-clinical support in its directives to operators (meals, laundry, safe space for addiction, med provision) For their clinical capacity, MPA does not provide more than a biweekly nurse visit. Even Coast Mental Health does not have psychiatrists on staff or regularly visiting its facilities. Source

> ZERO clinical mental health or addictions services in the neighbourhood, for example, community mental health and addiction services have been moved to Kerrisdale. Source

> Low care ratio for tenants 1:65, BCH, Eby says two on site, staffing levels were redacted in FOI. What works: Look to Finland where ratio of care is 1:3.

> The propose does not support the City’s Equity Strategy is aimed at making Vancouver a place where all women have full access to the resources provided in the City and have opportunities to fully participate in the political, economic, cultural, and social life of Vancouver. Particularly, by applying an intersectional lens to strengthen City processes, and inform City decision-making, addressing violence against women, and by providing accessible quality childcare and safe and affordable housing to woman in this City.

> For victims of abuse and their children seeking shelter in Canada, 82% are turned away for a facility being full, the vast majority (91%) of residents were residing in a facility primarily because of abuse. Source

> Many women who have left a violent home and struggle to secure housing in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. Source

> In a 2019 DTES women’s survey, one-quarter of women reported feeling unsafe in their place of residence. Therefore leadership should be placing priority on city own land in safe(r) neighbourhoods for women-led families and children. Source

> 87% of (female) participants in the community mapping survey reported feeling unsafe in the DTES at some point. Source

> In 2018, of the 2181 counted homeless there were 659 unsheltered and more than 2X that (1330) living in domestic violence shelters, predominantly women. Source

> In 2020, 500 women and children were provided services at the DEWC, that number increased by 50% in 2021, to 750 daily. There is a “significant increase we saw on the frontline at DEWC for women needing a safe refuge during the pandemic. Gender-based violence has increased substantially, people have lost access to support services, and the opioid crisis is at its worst.” Source

> Angela Marie MacDougall, executive director of BWSS, which helps women in Metro Vancouver, said the organization responds to up to 1,800 calls a year (5/day) from women with limited housing options, some of whom are considering returning to their abusers. Source

> A principal guideline of the City’s Housing Vancouver Strategy is that Vancouver should be a place where neighbourhoods are full of families Source

> Currently, there is a shortage of housing and other supportive services for low-income and at-risk parents with children in the four-block area surrounding the site. Neither Santa Maria sanctuary for abused women, nor Linden Tree Place at 2304 West 8th Avenue (30 affordable housing units for older adults) or Red Oak corner of 7th and Vine Streets (15 housing units for low-income seniors), which are both run by Neighborhood House, provide any supportive or other housing options for vulnerable and at-risk parents with children.

> Any new publicly funded programs and housing services for this area, including the Proposed Building, should include housing and other services for parents with children, including single mothers and fathers, who at risk or experiencing homelessness, to help them overcome their personal challenges (e.g., homelessness, family break up or -violence, mental health or substance use, loss of employment) as well structural factors (i.e., growing income inequality,lack of affordable housing, discrimination, low social assistance rates) while promoting and enriching a secure environment for their children.

> Stigma associated with the design - the design is hostile - equivalent of 18 pre-fabbed storeys in a 4 storey neighbourhood with a metal grill facade. The applicant presented the Urban Design Panel false shadow studies, when corrected (by a community volunteer of ours) the actual impact shadows the school and playgrounds entirely encased in shadowing for more than half of the school day.

> Number of units well outside of BCH own policy framework - 45-50 units was inked as policy, why is 140 with no additional support acceptable relative to the volume proposed? Plus, if the site were changed to house women-led families, theoretically, even 70 units would likely exceed the desired housing mandate for 140 individuals as families would be housed. Source

> Lack of consultation and transparency in process (39 from the community, BCH cites Kitsilano Fairview Comm Policing Office was consulted, they were not, shadow studies provided to the UDP were falsified and only corrected when a community volunteer noticed it and stepped up to provide the UDP with the correct versions - result, the entire school is in shade for the majority of the day)

> Proximity to BC Liquor Store and cannabis store just 1 block away. Dangers of mixing substances are well researched. Proximity to outlets that service additions should be considered, and are not with this proposal.

Source

Summary

We believe BCH is currently offering an ineffective model, stifling Vancouver’s provision of care for our most vulnerable homeless population and is perpetuating the growth of largely unsupportive, stigma-laden projects that have not challenged well enough our endemic of homelessness and addiction.

We understand the population of homeless women and women-led families, especially coming out of the pandemic, to be increasing, and to be the most vulnerable and underserved demographic of the homeless in Vancouver.

In addition with their lack of transparency, provision of inaccurate information and lack of consultation in earnest BC Housing and partners are causing entirely avoidable fear and divisiveness - citizens, when surveyed, as we along with many other community organizers/volunteers have been doing since February of 2021, essentially all want the same thing - a format that works for the most vulnerable in Vancouver and a provision of care that works. 

Concerning design, we feel that for the success of those within and to achieve expanded community adoption of the concept of Supportive Housing, we need to create a city where people can walk by social and supportive housing and not know it is such because of how well it is designed to fit into the neighbourhood and because of how well the tenants are cared for.

The community cannot get behind this proposal without drastic revisions prepared by city staff and the developer, BC Housing.

What we have been doing as a community (but NOW is the time to act, see top of Petition for instructions):

1. Read this: https://shapeyourcity.ca/2086-2098-w-7th-ave-and-2091-w-8th-ave

2. Write Council and urge them to OPPOSE the Proposed Building + ineffective Supportive Housing model using any of the grounds above that resonate with you. Email the Kitsilano Coalition for support with letter writing and cc: them at letters@kitsilanocoalition.org so they can track progress.

Copy + paste:

Kennedy.Stewart@vancouver.ca, CLRbligh@vancouver.ca, CLRboyle@vancouver.ca, CLRcarr@vancouver.ca, CLRdegenova@vancouver.ca, CLRdominato@vancouver.ca, CLRfry@vancouver.ca, CLRhardwick@vancouver.ca, CLRkirby-yung@vancouver.ca, CLRswanson@vancouver.ca, CLRwiebe@vancouver.ca, paul.mochrie@vancouver.ca, theresa.o'donnell@vancouver.ca

3. Sign up to volunteer, donate + attend Virtual Town Halls provided by the newly formed Kitsilano Coalition Society (www.kitsilanocoalition.org made up of the neighbourhoods business associations, senior associations, strata associations, schools, parent groups, locals and other local organizations. By signing up, you will also be advised of important dates and timelines pertaining to the rezoning proposal.

4. Ask questions of Chee Chan by emailing: chee.chan@vancouver.ca

5. File FOI requests for any lack of transparency or process you witness or find.

6: Get Social: Follow, like, share, comment @parents4TCP or @kitsilanocoalition

Thank you,

The Organizers of Parents for Thoughtful City Planning

"Never doubt that a thoughtful group of committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

-  Margaret Mead