By Spencer Sterritt

Nanaimo councillors reject designating supportive housing sites as nuisance properties

Jan 21, 2019 | 10:05 PM

NANAIMO — Though admitting the situation hasn’t come together as hoped, many Nanaimo councillors say they don’t intend to designate two recently-opened supportive housing complexes as nuisance properties.

“I do not feel that would be an effective route to go,” coun. Ian Thorpe told a vocal gallery crowd in council chambers on Monday night. “It might seem or be seen as us taking action, but I don’t believe it would result in any concrete action to solve the situation.”

The decision was prompted by a motion earlier in the night from coun. Sheryl Armstrong, following up on a stated intention from the previous council meeting. Her motion requested City staff compile information from police, themselves and other relevant organizations about activities occurring at both 2020 Labieux Rd. and 250 Terminal Ave., based under the City of Nanaimo’s nuisance abatement and cost-recovery bylaw.

When designated a nuisance property, which is voted on by council, property owners are charged for enforcement costs related to the property.

The two contentious supportive housing sites on Labieux Rd. and Terminal Ave. were hastily opened to meet serious community needs after downtown Nanaimo’s sprawling tent city was closed at the beginning of December. In total, they house roughly 170 people and were controversial since they were announced.

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“I cannot find any research…to support 80 people in one place,” Armstrong said in defence of her motion. “If these weren’t supportive houses, they probably would have already been deemed a nuisance property.”

All councillors expressed interest in having a comprehensive report before themselves and the public about the ongoing situation at the two sites, but strongly spoke against moving forward along the path towards labelling them nuisance properties.

“It feels like it’s too soon,” coun. Erin Hemmens said. “Discontent City was our largest social issue to date and resolving it and dismantling it will take time, compassion and effort. Any notion or move towards designating these two properties as nuisances at this point feels heavy handed.”

Coun. Don Bonner agreed, saying taking such action against provincially-funded housing was the last thing Nanaimo needed to do.

“Nanaimo has a history of not cooperating with the provincial government and as a result, we’re in the position we are now. I think this motion is sending the wrong message to the very people in our province who are willing and able to spend the money on affordable housing.”

A friendly request from Thorpe to Armstrong about amending the motion to only focus on the report didn’t come to pass.

City manager Jake Rudolph also informed council they’ll take part in a briefing session about homelessness in Nanaimo in coming weeks, where all subjects included in a nuisance property report would be brought up.

Armstrong’s motion failed with only herself and coun. Jim Turley in support.

spencer@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit