City’s safety committee calls for focus on housing, modular homes
NANAIMO — With more than $200 million of provincial government money up for grabs, the City committee responsible for community safety is calling for a focus on new housing in Nanaimo.
The City’s Public Safety Committee recommended to Council that staff start work on creating more supported housing, such as modular homes on City land. The recommendation followed a staff report which outlined supported housing as a high priority in finding a solution to persistent social and public safety issues.
Coun. Sheryl Armstrong, chair of the committee, said staff provided about a dozen options to address health, social, safety and security issues. The committee narrowed it down to their top two, with staff identifying the modular housing option as most feasible.
“This was one that staff felt was doable in a short time frame and the fact there’s money available from their perspective is a no-brainer,” Armstrong told NanaimoNewsNOW. “If we can get (provincial money) we’re one step ahead of the game. If we don’t access that money then the City is going to have to keep searching or find some internal revenue sources.”