Tiny homes village coming to New Westminster by end of year

An innovative plan to get people out of the cold is coming to New Westminster.

The City of New Westminster will soon offer a unique housing model for those experiencing homelessness.

Through a partnership with the province, New Westminster is receiving a tiny homes village with 30 self-contained units.

The modular containers are being shipped from Victoria, where a tiny home village was previously dismantled, and are expected to reach the municipality by Monday.

Read more: Victoria’s ‘successful’ Tiny Town shipping container village shuts down

‘Secure, warm place’

Mayor Patrick Johnstone said the temporary supportive housing project is meant for those who are living in either a shelter or are homeless, and who may not feel ready to live independently.

“This model will give people a secure, safe, warm place to live, a place that they can really feel comfortable and secure and get a good night’s sleep,” he said.

“But at the same time, it gives them wraparound services and allows them to live sort of with a group of people in a community.”

3-year lease

The city is partnering with BC Housing on the project, which will be located at 502 20th St.

At a New Westminster city council meeting on Feb. 23, Naomi Brunemeyer, the director of regional development with BC Housing, said the site’s cost will be shared between the city and BC Housing.

She added it will be a three-year lease with an option to renew to six years.

An operator for the site has not yet been chosen, she said.

Brunemeyer said BC Housing has conducted a “lessons learned” on the Victoria site and felt there weren’t enough amenity spaces for tenants and staffing resources.

“We are actually adding additional modulars to the site which is another reason why we wanted the site to be a bit larger, so we could expand on the programming and make sure our residents are well taken care of there,” she said.

Security concerns

At the meeting, Coun. Paul Minhas raised concerns regarding safety issues and tried to table a motion asking BC Housing to sign a Good Neighbour agreement.

On Friday, he told CTV News he also wanted to see security added to the facility.

“As in private security, where they monitor and do not disturb the businesses that are in the neighborhood and the residential area,” he said.

At the council meeting, Brunemeyer said BC Housing has moved away from the Good Neighbour model to a more robust plan, “where our commitments are quite clear instead of vague language in the Good Neighbour agreement.”

In regard to safety, she added there would be a vetting process and that this housing is desirable among “folks who are a little more advanced in their journeys.”

Staff on site

Christine Boyle, the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, said staff will be on site 24/7 to provide supports and recovery services.

“Studies have shown that compared to homelessness, folks living in supportive housing have significantly less interactions with the criminal justice system, lower rates of hospital admissions, and fewer health challenges.” she said.

“It’s one important step in moving into long-term stable housing, reconnecting with family, and looking for employment. So this is an important piece of the puzzle.”

Residents start petition

Some residents who live in the area say there was a lack of consultation from the city and the province prior to the site’s announcement.

They have started a petition against the project.

“We believe that we should have a voice,” said Nelson Santos, who lives in the community.

BC Housing held a public information session on Thursday evening with local residents and businesses.

Santos attended, but said his concerns regarding safety and cleanliness weren’t addressed.

“It was just an informational session, basically telling us that this is going to happen whether we like it or not,” he said.

Another session will be held March 19.

‘Not as problematic’

Jack York, the board chair with New Westminster Homelessness Coalition, said he understands the concerns, but said there’s an urgent need in the community to address the homelessness crisis.

“Usually these projects are actually not as problematic for the communities that they find themselves in as people anticipate,” he said.

York added he’d like to see greater government investment in supportive housing.

“An interesting statistic is that in the early 70s, about 20 per cent of all housing starts were some form of social housing,” he said.

“But since the 90s, it’s been closer to about two or three per cent. So, this lack of investment has led to a situation, combined with market forces where so many people are on the margins, and so many more people are finding themselves unhoused.”