City of Richmond to hold public meeting on homeless camp

RICHMOND (NEWS 1130) – The number of tents have varied in recent months at a homeless camp in an East Richmond neighbourhood, but the city is now planning to attempt to address concerns. It’s hosting a community meeting Thursday regarding that camp in the Hamilton neighbourhood.

The city plans to share what it’s doing, which includes asking the people living there not to expand the site, with firefighters and other city staff regularly visiting to ensure health and safety.

RELATED: Frustrated neighbours relieved city is paying attention to Richmond homeless camp

Ted Townsend with the City of Richmond says the aim is to find the people living there appropriate housing.

“Council asked us to hold a community information meeting in order to be able to generally address to a broad range of residents what we’re doing and what our plans are,” he says.

Some who live in the neighbourhood have raised concerns about crime or the fear that the camp could grow further. But Townsend says the people who live in the camp have agreed to keep it at its current size. He says the goal is to eventually find residents more permanent housing.

RELATED: Hundreds protest provincial plan to build housing for homeless in Maple Ridge

“The rental market is difficult for anybody these days with the low vacancy and the high rents, so they’re continuing to look and in the mean time we’re continuing to work with them to identify potential social housing options and other options,” he says.

He’s hoping the meeting will be informative for all involved.

“We’ve been dealing with residents’ concerns on a one-on-one basis and addressing them, but this allows an opportunity for the neighbourhood to come together to collectively hear what the city’s doing and what our plans are, moving forward.”

The meeting takes place at 6:30 p.m. on May 9, 2019, in the Hamilton Elementary School gym.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today