Committee endorses city's winter relief plan to shelter those sleeping rough
Councilors expressed the need to act quickly
Local politicians have endorsed a plan that will temporarily house people sleeping rough in London's downtown core during the winter months.
While it will still need to be approved by London city council, Tuesday night's community and protective services committee saw unanimous support for the city's Winter Response Program, a $2.3-million emergency response plan that will bring two temporary overnight shelters and two day spaces to provide people who regularly sleep unsheltered with access to basic needs.
"We fully recognize that this is not a perfect solution to the homelessness crisis that our community is facing, nor is this a plan that is going to solve homelessness during COVID this year," Kevin Dickins, the city's acting manager of housing, told the committee.
"However, this is a plan that we are moving along in a expedited fashion as quick as possible to provide life-saving supports, life-saving services to those that are sleeping unsheltered in our community."
The two overnight shelters will be provided through heated temporary structures enclosed by construction fencing, much like portables, and will have beds for about 30 people each. Currently, the city has secured the T-Block parking lot at 652 Elizabeth Street, near McMahen Park and is in the process of securing another privately-owned parking lot in the core.
The day spaces, which the city says are focused on providing people with a warm space and accessing basic needs, can also accommodate up to 30 people at a time. Those are planned to operate out of the Hamilton Road Seniors Centre and out of a storefront location at 177-179 Dundas Street, just east of Richmond. Additionally, the overnight shelters will also serve as day spaces.
Combined, the two overnight shelters will house up to 60 people, which city officials have admitted falls short of serving the 120 people they estimate regularly sleep unsheltered in the downtown core.
"I think that it is a step forward to ensure that people who are trying to survive through these winter times, [have] the opportunity to survive, while we we look to take the next steps in providing shelter and continuing to support people," said downtown Coun. Arielle Kayabaga.
The city has been in contact with the Middlesex-London Health Unit to ensure that the proper COVID-19 prevention measures and provincial guidelines are being followed.
The city hopes to have the shelters and day spaces in place by mid-December and running all the way through April 2021. Supports and services for people suffering from addiction and mental health issues will also be available.
While the framework of the plan was what was presented at committee, city staff said there are still many things that need to be worked out including agreements that need to be finalized along with staffing plans that need to be adjusted. However, committee members expressed the desire to move forward in an attempt to help those who are unsheltered, as soon as possible.
"Winter's here and this might not even be the plan we want, but it's the plan we need right now to help folks who are really struggling in the community to get through winter," said Ward 2 Coun. Shawn Lewis.
"I think is really important that everybody understands and not be under any illusion [that] there are still going to be folks sleeping unsheltered in the community and they have some really complex and difficult problems to overcome and no matter how hard we try as a city, we're not going to solve every single one of those, but this is a huge step forward."
The matter will still need to go up to council on Dec. 8 for the final stamp of approval.