Facts, not fear, should guide social housing policy, UBC expert says

The ongoing debate over a proposed social housing complex in a residential area of Kelowna, B.C., should focus on facts not fear, according to a homelessness policy expert.

Carey Doberstein, assistant professor of political science at UBC Okanagan, has followed the contentious plan for 52 units of low-barrier housing on Agassiz Road since its proposal in summer 2018.

He said local residents have the right to air their concerns for the safety and stability of their neighbourhood, but council should look at the outcomes of similar housing developments when making its decision.

"There's a broad expectation of [residents] being heard, but a mistaken expectation that they have a neighbourhood veto, which is not the case, and should not be the case — because the city has to take a broader view of what is beneficial for the city as a whole," Doberstein told Chris Walker, host of CBC's Daybreak South.

Safety and stability concerns

Supportive housing is subsidized housing for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. "Wet" facilities, like the one proposed for Agassiz Road, do not require people to abstain from drugs or alcohol before moving in.

Opponents of the plan say they worry the development will decrease safety in a neighbourhood that has a large senior population. 

A public hearing on the development, which has drawn fierce reaction both for and against, is expected to draw a large crowd on Thursday. 

One vocal critic, local resident Richard Taylor, wrote on Facebook: "We would likely support anything that will not house significant numbers of younger males with serious substance abuse issues and criminal backgrounds."

B.C. Housing regional director Ann Howard, who will speak at Thursday's public hearing, said in her experience supportive housing is stabilizing for residents and does not have a significant impact on surrounding neighbourhoods.

"The concerns expressed are around certain behaviours sometimes exhibited by homeless people, but we are are not going to be talking about homeless people any more. We are talking about people who will have housing," Howard said.

'Worst-case scenario'

Doberstein, who has authored a book on homelessness policymaking in Canada, said opposition to supportive housing in Canada often focuses on the worst-case scenario.

He pointed to a nationwide randomized trial that suggests low-barrier housing is a step toward stability for people living with addiction and mental illness.

"They are more likely to maintain housing and more likely to establish independence, which is fundamentally what we should care about when taxpayers are funding these services," he said.

Doberstein said most residents he has heard from recognize the need for social housing but don't want it next door.

He dismissed suggestions to build low-barrier facilities downtown or in rural areas away from dense residential neighbourhoods.

"That's proposing segregation of Kelowna, which is a vintage NIMBY ["not in my back yard"] strategy to deflect away from their area," he said.

There are currently 210 B.C. Housing-funded low-barrier units across Kelowna, according to the agency.