While council awaits a response from city staff, London Cares is sharing its perspective on the dispersal of a homeless encampment at 602 Queens Ave. and the impact on unhoused Londoners and the surrounding neighbourhood. Residents suggest removing the encampment simply shifted the homelessness crisis onto front porches, sidewalks, and into a small parkette. “When I drove by a few days ago, I saw that they were all gone. I was initially like, thank God, (but) then all of a sudden, right across the street, they were there,” said Tyrone Burgess who lives in the area. During Tuesday’s council meeting, Coun. Susan Stevenson made an inquiry to staff about the removal of tents and homeless Londoners at the corner of Queens and Adelaide in front of the building that houses London Cares, Sisters of St. Joseph, and Regional HIV/AIDS Connection. However, city staff weren’t saying much. “Civic administration has been working with a service provider on this piece of property. There’s been lots of conversations have taken place up to date and are still taking place,” replied John Paradis, deputy city manager of enterprise supports. “What we’d like to do is compile all of that information, make sure it’s accurate and up to date, and circulated to all members of council.” After the meeting, Paradis said he intends to email a memo to council members on Friday. CTV News contacted Chris Moss, executive director of London Cares, who explained, “After weeks of public pressure, negative media, calls telling us to clean our yard, many emails from concerned neighbours, increased safety concerns for our staff, and community members screaming at people as they drive by our property, we had no choice but to enforce our new program rules.” The new Joint Property and Safety Plan A letter sent by Moss to the Woodfield Community Association advises, “Some displacement into the broader community may occur.” In addition, it seeks a more permanent solution, “We are also urging the City to identify sanctioned alternatives so that people are not continually cycled from one site to another.” London Cares is funded to provide primary health care, showers, and other basic needs at 602 Queens Ave. but adds, “We simply cannot support the hundreds of additional people who had starting arriving on our property.” Neighbours question why city hall didn’t have a better strategy for relocating the homeless Londoners from the encampment. “I think the city should have more of a plan in place about where to actually house them and place them,” says Burgess. “It’s costly, I understand that.” Those answers might come in the memo being sent to City Council. Mayor Josh Morgan has asked that it be available to the public as soon as possible. “Normally, it would just go on the next council agenda as a communication because it was a public inquiry,” Morgan explains. “I’ve asked the Deputy City Manager to write it in a way that Councillors can share it publicly earlier.” Moss emphasizes, “We know the solution is the province funding more highly supportive housing—House of Hope works.”
