Several homelessness programs extended by city council last year could soon face sweeping changes.
On Tuesday, council spent three hours debating how to allocate senior government funding to address homelessness and encampments, only to push most of the biggest decisions to future meetings.
“Are we going to continue down the path where we continue to put money into a solution, and then the community comes back to us and says (it) isn’t working?” Councillor Corrine Rahman asked rhetorically.
She was responding to last month’s open letter from eight frontline agencies imploring council to open additional overnight spaces during Cold Weather Alerts.
Rahman proposed a motion directing city staff to examine options for redirecting funds away from Ark Aid Street Mission’s daytime drop-in spaces at 696 Dundas St. and instead ask other service providers if they can use the funding to operate additional overnight beds.
“We have to really focus on what’s truly dangerous out there, (the) extreme cold and getting those folks as much as possible in shelter,” agreed Councillor Steve Lehman.
Deputy City Manager, Social and Health Development Kevin Dickins warned that frontline agencies have not been able to make more overnight beds available when he checked as recently as Tuesday morning — but he will ask again.
Dickins added, “In the absence of finding organizations that can actually mobilize beds, we would still be in a position to perhaps pursue the daytime drop-in spaces.”
“My priority is on the night times when other places are closed and there aren’t opportunities to go into a library, into a community center,” explained Acting Mayor Shawn Lewis.
In the meantime, council voted to only fund the 70 overnight beds operated by Ark Aid Street Mission at the Cronyn Warner Centre until March 31.
Council also wants to revisit how basic needs are provided to Londoners living in encampments.
“I have no idea at this point how we are going to be providing basic needs,” Councillor Hadleigh McAlister told his council colleagues. “It’s great that we have the funding available, but I want a plan before I approve something.”
So council extended funding to the existing Service Depots (portable toilets, food, water) operating in the city’s largest encampments until April 30 (from February 28), to give city staff time to develop a mobile model of service.
“I have to have these constant conversations with my residents about our response. So, yes, I will (accept) this extension again because that is what I’m being told we have to do. But I’m getting very frustrated,” admitted McAlister whose ward includes Watson Street Park.
Council also rejected a proposal by Ark Aid Street Mission to operate 10 supportive housing spaces on Oxford Street West.
Councillor Lehman, who represents the area, listed numerous concerns raised by neighbours several years ago including public drug use, drug dealers, and public nudity.
Acting Mayor Lewis explained why he supported so many potential changes to the city’s homelessness strategy, “I supported some referrals (to city staff) today because I’m frustrated with the fact that in the last week we’ve had three different sets of (financial) numbers come before us, and I don’t know what we’re spending money on (or) where. My priority is for on overnight beds.”
