Abbotsford council has voted against a zoning bylaw amendment and housing agreement that would have seen 20 emergency-shelter beds permanently included as part of a supportive-housing facility on Pauline Street.
Council voted on the matter Monday evening (July 24) after a public hearing that saw several residents of an adjacent apartment building detail their experiences with open drug use, break-ins, violence and theft in the area.
Council previously passed first and second readings for a text amendment to the Historic Downtown Commercial Zone to allow emergency-shelter use in the former Red Lion Inn and Suite on Pauline Street.
The hotel was purchased in 2021 by BC Housing to provide supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness, and has been operating 30 supportive-housing units and 20 emergency beds.
Council previously approved not immediately enforcing the application zoning bylaws regarding the emergency shelter.
This was to enable getting housing in place quickly and in good faith that BC Housing would apply for the rezoning and the required housing application.
But most of the councillors on Monday said they could not support final approval that would have allowed the emergency beds to be retained.
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Several residents of the Upper Montrose apartment building – located across from the former Red Lion Inn – and local business owners spoke at a public hearing that preceded council’s vote.
They said that, since the shelter opened, there has been a significant increase in crime in the neighbourhood, at nearby Jubilee Park and in their buildings.
“The once vibrant and thriving area is now plagued by constantly broken locks, vandalized vehicles, stolen items, broken storage lockers, commercial units broken into, frequent fire alarms, damaged security cameras, damaged buzzer panels, and the incidents have instilled fear …” said one man.
Another said his family has witnessed drug use and drug dealing in “plain view,” including when he was pushing his one-year-old child on a swing in Jubilee Park.
Others expressed frustration at what they say is a lack of police and city support to address the safety and health issues.
“Since this shelter came around, (the area) has become a hell hole,” one man said.
Several said they understand the necessity of providing shelter for people in need, but downtown Abbotsford is not the right location.
Frank Tick with BC Housing said the problems in the neighbourhood are not due to residents of the supportive-housing building, but from societal issues that result in people “living rough.”
“Not to minimize the problems .. but (the issues) are more around the general issue of homelessness versus the 20 people that are being sheltered and receiving services at this particular shelter,” he said.
Tick said BC Housing has partnered with Lookout Housing and Health Society, which has peer support workers who go out daily for two hours “connecting with the community, doing needle sweeps and cleaning the neighbourhood.”
He said letters were also sent out to residents and businesses within a four-block radius of the shelter, providing a phone number they could call to alert Lookout staff of any issues or concerns.
Tick said a community advisory committee meets monthly “to support the safety and the integration of the building in the community and what’s working and not working.”
The committee includes representatives of the city, BC Housing, Lookout and the Abbotsford Police Department.
“We are committed to the safety of the neighbourhood and we will continue to be committed to the safety of the neighbourhood,” Tick said.
In council discussion following the hearing, Mayor Ross Siemens said he was in favour of the text amendment and noted the challenges the city faces in addressing issues of mental health, addiction and homelessness.
“A lot of the comments we’ve heard today – these are societal problems, and there’s no easy answer, and there’s no quick, easy solutions,” he said.
Siemens emphasized that the supportive-housing component of the facility will not be impacted by the decision; it only affects the 20 emergency beds.
RELATED: Public hearing next step in Pauline Street housing development
The only councillor voting in favour was Dave Sidhu. Others said they couldn’t support the motion after hearing the residents’ stories.
“I’m sure there will be other opportunities for us to entertain similar facilities under different circumstances and perhaps in a different location,” Simon Gibson said.
“I have a high regard for BC Housing. This is not a criticism of them … but the overall sense of ennui tonight persuaded me that we should not support this housing agreement.”
Patricia Ross also said she has “great respect” for the work of BC Housing.
“But I’m just very concerned about the stories we heard over and over again tonight that there’s a disconnect between what we’re told is supposed to happen and what’s happening in reality,” she said.
vikki.hopes@abbynews.com
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