Minimum distance between homeless encampments and residential properties upheld at city hall

How close is too close? City committee votes against to reduce minimum setback between homeless encampments and residential properties.

A request by frontline agencies for greater leniency about the location of homeless encampments failed to sway most members of city council.

On Tuesday, the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee voted 10-5 against a request by the Whole of Community Response to Homelessness that would have reduced the minimum setback distance between tents and residential property lines to 25 metres.

Instead, the encampment strategy approved by city council earlier this year will maintain a minimum 100 metre setback.

Greg Nash of London InterCommunity Health Centre told SPPC, “(100 metres) only leaves 18 per cent of public spaces within London remaining available based on the current buffers.”

But several homeowners in the public gallery urged the council members to maintain the current rule.

“Reducing that distance is just going to exacerbate the problem rather than solve anything for the residents,” John Herb told the committee.

Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis said he has heard the concerns of his constituents in Ward 2, “They should be able to go in their backyard and not feel at risk because of what's going on in the park immediately behind their backyard.”

Lewis adding that the needs of the homeless must be balanced against the safety concerns of residents, “There does have to be a balance in how we approach this, because the residents of those homes have rights, too. And that, I think, has been largely overshadowed in the Whole of Community Response.”

Council will consider finalizing the committee recommendation on Nov. 5.