Pubdate: Wed, 09 Nov 2005
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 The Vancouver Sun
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Gerry Bellett
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

HALFWAY HOUSE RILES RESIDENTS

Mayoral Candidates Will 'Ram This Down Our Throats,' Realtor Says

VANCOUVER - Concern that the city is planning to build a halfway house for 
addicts on the corner of 16th and Dunbar has the community up in arms, says 
Vancouver realtor Mike Andruff.

Andruff, president of the Dunbar Residents Association until he resigned 
Monday, said a crowd of about 300 people at an all-candidates meeting 
Monday let politicians know they won't stand for having addicts' housing in 
the area.

"We've been approached by people on Fraser and in the downtown area who 
have told us our community will degenerate if this happens," said Andruff.

Despite strenuous objections by residents, the city opened Triage, a home 
for persons attempting to overcome drug addiction and alcoholism on 39th 
and Fraser.

"The people in Fraser couldn't turn the current city council away. We need 
to find a civic leader who will pay attention to our concerns, not Jim 
Green or Sam Sullivan, who'll ram this down our throats," he said.

Earlier this year the city spent $3.5 million buying a 35,000- square-foot 
lot on the southeast corner of Dunbar between 16th and 17th avenues. It now 
houses a number of small businesses including a restaurant, a lawnmower 
shop and a sporting goods consignment store.

Rob Whitlock, the city's senior housing planner, said no plans have yet 
been made for the site.

"I don't think it's inappropriate for the community to express its interest 
in a site but I think it's a bit premature to be reacting to a proposition 
we don't have before us," said Whitlock.

It's a stance taken by Sullivan and Green, who both say no decision has 
been made on what to do with the land.

"COPE hasn't shared any of their plans [for the site] with me," said 
Sullivan, the NPA mayoral candidate.

"Right now it's all rumours and it's hard for me to react to rumours or 
speculate and say what's going to happen," said Sullivan.

Green, mayoral candidate for Vision Vancouver, said the city hasn't decided 
what type of housing would be built on the site.

He said if there was a good public process on a proposal -- so a 
neighbourhood could feel part of whatever decision is made -- people aren't 
likely to be opposed.

"Every project I ever did never had any public opposition," said Green.

"But Dunbar is the one of the areas that doesn't have social housing and 
there are people there that would like to see it," said Green.

Whitlock said the city bought the commercial property for social housing 
following a decision by council in the spring. Leases on the property won't 
expire until the end of next year.

He said there are a number of options for the site: housing for seniors 
with mental health problems; housing for families; housing for persons who 
have been free of substance abuse for 60 days and are working towards 
independent living.

He said the city was in the middle of a study with the Vancouver Coastal 
Health Authority to look at the needs for supportive housing in the city 
for families, seniors, people with mental health problems and addictions, 
which came out of a study called the Homeless Action Plan.

"We're doing a broader study into these kinds of needs and it won't be 
completed until next year," Whitlock said.

"Council will take a look at that study and if the study comes to the 
conclusion the needs are city-wide and includes the Dunbar area then it's 
likely the site will be used for this type of housing," he said.

"Part of the issue is that we have eight per cent of the people living in 
Dunbar paying more than one-third of their income for housing and some of 
them are paying more than half. This tells us there is a problem and a 
need. When people are paying that much for rent then they are likely 
suffering other basic needs such as food," he said.

He said there are also homeless people living in the area.

If the site were to be used for single people dealing with addictions it 
could house 50 units, for seniors it would contain 35 units and for 
families, 25 units, said Whitlock.

Patricia Campbell's children attend Ecole Jules Quesnel elementary school 
three blocks from the site and said her main worry would be for the safety 
of her children if a halfway house for addicts is built there.

"I've got mixed feelings about it. There doesn't seem like there has been a 
lot of consultation with the neighbourhood which I don't think is fair but 
at the same time I don't like people in rehab being ghettoized.

"I feel there should be supportive environments for people in recovery and 
no part of the city should be exempt. But at the same time I want to know 
that my children are safe," she said.

Gordon Dungate, who has lived in the area for 38 years, said any 
rehabilitation centre needs "lots of supervision" and he wasn't confident 
that would be the case if the site was chosen for addicts' housing. He 
lives half a block from the site.

"I don't think that corner is a suitable spot for addiction housing of for 
seniors. They should maybe have bought the Dunbar Theatre and used that 
land as it is closer to amenities and the recreation centre. Another 
alternative would be down at the Jerico Beach development," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom