Petition raises concerns about third tiny home project for homeless in Kelowna
BC Housing has announced a new tiny home community project in Kelowna's North Glenmore neighbourhood, but more than a thousand people have signed a petition raising concerns.
This is the third project of its kind in Kelowna. The first is STEP Place on Crowley Avenue, and the second is Trailside on Highway 97. Trailside is not technically tiny homes, its larger trailers with individual room, but it has the same goal of helping people transition from homelessness to market housing.
The project in North Glenmore is very similar to STEP Place operated by the John Howard Society.
The plan is to put 60 tiny homes at 3199 Appaloosa Road with security measures like a perimeter fence, security cameras and gated access. The project would provide access to daily meals, overdose prevention services, life and job skills support and more.
BC Housing has yet to announce the operator of the facility, but John Howard Society’s executive director Patricia Bacon said the society is not going to take on the project.
The petition, started back in August, has more than 1,500 signatures. It cites concerns about the project’s location, and complains about a lack of community consultation.
“Neighbours were shocked, scared and frustrated. It is our understanding that the city paid $3.65 million for the land, and plans to lease it to B.C. Housing for $1 per year. In the past week, we have tried to get answers regarding this development from the province, the mayor and BC Housing. Our inquiries have remained largely ignored,” the petitioner Amanda Adams wrote.
The City of Kelowna's communications department contacted iNFOnews.ca following the article's publication to say the city's social development manager did speak with Adams over the phone, but the city has not received any communications since.
"This manager also provided Amanda with her email and direct phone line and she has not received any further contact from Amanda since then. Amanda was also invited to provide the Social Development Manager’s direct contact information with others in her neighbourhood if they wanted to discuss concerns, and again, no one has contacted her. The Mayor has also met with Solterra Ranch community members and toured the site with them with the Social Development Manager a few weeks ago," the city's communications director Tom Wilson said in an emailed statement.
BC Housing has not said whether the tiny homes will be pallet homes or a different construction method. It said it plans to engage with the community about this project in facilitated neighbour information sessions it plans to host in the coming year.
READ MORE: How Kelowna’s tiny home community is faring six months in
“At these sessions, we will answer questions, share information around the changing landscape of homelessness in our community, and discuss how to successfully integrate the temporary housing into the neighbourhood,” BC Housing said on the project page.
The petition said the location is too close to homes and schools.
“North Glenmore is home to a diverse and vulnerable population, including young families, international students, seniors and individuals with disabilities. This location is less than 100 metres from residential homes and under three kilometres from an elementary school, a middle school, a private school and a university. These groups rely on the security and stability of our communities,” the petition said.
John Howard's Bacon said she can’t comment on the location or operator selection process for the new tiny home community but said the STEP Program tiny home project, although relatively new, has been successful so far.
“If the small home model works for some people, even if it's just temporary, doesn't our humanity suggest that we should explore it,” she said.
Click here for more information on the project.
— This article was update at 3:07 p.m. on Oct. 9, 2024, to include a statement from the City of Kelowna regarding its communications with the petitioner. The previous version did not have that information.
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