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BC Housing, local governments looking for housing solutions during pandemic

BC Housing says it’s working with local governments to find housing for the homeless and others who need a place to stay on the Sunshine Coast, and elsewhere in the province, during the pandemic.
Housing

BC Housing says it’s working with local governments to find housing for the homeless and others who need a place to stay on the Sunshine Coast, and elsewhere in the province, during the pandemic.

In an April 1 bulletin, the Sunshine Coast Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) said the housing agency is “looking for housing solutions for the homeless population as needed – to create physical distancing space and to house those who are still on the street and who are vulnerable.”

The bulletin said BC Housing is also looking for places “as needed” for women and children who are fleeing abuse. The agency is also working with Vancouver Coastal Health “to identify other housing needs for first responders, health care workers, non-profit staff, and those who are COVID positive that don’t require an acute care setting, but do need to self isolate and cannot do that at home.”

BC Housing told Coast Reporter last month that the temporary cold weather shelter in Gibsons, which was scheduled to close March 31, has actually been closed since March 19 “due to a limited number of available staff in the region.”

The Sechelt shelter remains open but, as Mayor Darnelda Siegers pointed out during the April 1 council meeting, it’s not offering the usual level of service.

“We have closed down our recreation facilities, Arrowhead has closed down, and the homeless shelter and the supportive housing complex have been told by Vancouver Coastal Health that they cannot provide additional services to anybody but the people who live in their facilities,” Siegers said. “That means that many of the homeless in our community have nowhere to go to get tents, for example, because the homeless shelter can no longer take donations.”

Siegers said the EOC is looking at how to meet the needs of the homeless “who we’ve basically shut out of all services.”

Gibsons Mayor Bill Beamish addressed the need to continue providing services for vulnerable people in his most recent update as well.

“It is critical that we continue to provide services to the homeless and less fortunate residents of our community throughout this crisis,” Beamish said. “Please remember to extend a helping hand, and financial support if possible, to the most vulnerable in our community.

“In Gibsons, the public washrooms at Winegarden Park, Armours Beach and Dougall Park remain open during the day and are being cleaned every two hours by a cleaning service we have contracted to maintain them,” Beamish added. “Showers are also being arranged for people who are still living on our streets during this crisis.”

In Sechelt, public washrooms in local parks are being kept open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the exception of Kinnikinnick Park, which remains closed.

Anyone with accommodation or other help to offer is asked to contact Naomi Brunemeyer of BC Housing at nbrunemeyer@bchousing.org