London councillors approve 3 homeless hub locations, including Fanshawe Park location

London's city council has approved funding for three local social organizations to set up and operate the first of an expected 15 hubs to service the city's unhoused population in a series of votes Thursday.  

Councillors voted separately on the three proposed locations and their operating budgets after a lengthy debate that saw disagreements over the location of one hub on Fanshawe Park Road West, as well as the overall cost of all the hubs. 

In the end, the majority of councillors agreed to fund hubs run by Atlohsa Family Healing Services, Youth Opportunities Unlimited, and the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Thames Valley.

• Atlohsa will have an Indigenous-led response at 550 Wellington Road, at Parkwood Hospital
• Youth Opportunities Unlimited's hub would be split between its Richmond Street headquarters and a location at the Children's Hospital on Commissioners Road. 
• CMHA will run a hub catered to women and female-identifying individuals at 705 Fanshawe Park Road West. 

"This is a milestone moment for our community and a testament to our unwavering dedication to addressing the health and homelessness crisis," said Mayor Josh Morgan.

"There is much work still to be done to support the most marginalized, but we have come together as a community to change people's lives for the better."

The long-term plan is to have between 10-15 hubs running in the city offering health care and basic necessities, with the eventual goal of transitioning people into stable housing. It was devised over the course of a year by a working group of professions, advocates and people with lived experience

The two-year budget to set-up, run and staff the three hubs is approximately $21-million. The city has access to a $25-million anonymous donation, and is actively seeking government funding.

A breakdown of each hub

YOU anticipates helping up to 60 youth per year, and will provide services including shelter, life skills development, and and housing supports based on individual needs.

Lengthy debate on Fanshawe Park Road location

The first few hours of Thursday's meeting saw councillors debate the most contentious location at 705 Fanshawe Park Road West. 

Ward 4 Coun. Susan Stevenson tried to delay the vote to a Nov. 21 committee meeting stating that she wants to council to do more due diligence given the cost and to consider other options.

"It's to bring forward a business case with quantifiable goals," said Stevenson. "We have a duty to not emotionally say yes because there's such a great need, so many people are counting on this."

Stevenson said that people who live in the area have safety concerns that shouldn't be minimized and that more time is  needed to understand them.

A group of northwest London residents gathered in front of city hall to protest the Fanshawe Park Road hub. While all requests for an interview with CBC News were declined by demonstrators, other citizens living near the hub's location have said they have safety concerns.

Some said not enough public consultation was done.