Pubdate: Tue, 11 Aug 2009 Source: Abbotsford News (CN BC) Copyright: 2009 Abbotsford News Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/BkAJKrUD Website: http://www.abbynews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1155 Author: Joe Millican Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment) 'FLOP HOUSES' SHOULD BE FOCUS The city should deal with the "flop houses" in Abbotsford, before it starts legalizing more recovery homes. That's according to Psalm 23 Transition Society president Marvin Declare, who said city hall should be cracking down on homes which offer only shelter, rather than professional services to recovering drug addicts. Declare was talking about properties in Abbotsford, which describe themselves as recovery houses but offer few or no programs to residents. Characterizing them as "boarding houses" or "flop houses," Declare said many contain five or less residents so they comply with city bylaws. The City of Abbotsford legalized 11 recovery houses in Abbotsford last year, and could lift a one-year moratorium which allows others to apply. Declare's society operates three of those 11 houses. Declare said that after addicts have been through a drug treatment program, they need additional help to further assist their progress. These services should be provided through a structured program in a licenced recovery home, said Declare, to reduce the risk of relapse. Declare said some operators are more interested in collecting rent money - courtesy of welfare cheques - rather than providing the services they should. In legalizing 11 recovery homes, the city denied seven more. Those seven, together with the houses that did not come forward for consideration, were expected to close. However, Declare said some operators have simply reduced their number of residents from up to 10 to five or less. City housing bylaws allow five unrelated people to live in the same dwelling. "I think it's a case of when you bring out the traps, then the mice will go to a different place," said Declare, adding that he wants to work with the city to bring the issue to light. "When these places closed down, the understanding was that they ... would not be able to operate. Some people are still in these neighbourhoods and are still operating." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom