While it may have been overshadowed by another matter, a move by Chatham-Kent council to undertake a new initiative to address homelessness is a step in the right direction.
At its Jan. 15 meeting, council agreed to move forward with a plan that would see the current shelter on Victoria Avenue in Chatham replaced with 50 “transitional cabins.”
A location for the project, which would also include a shared bunkhouse, has yet to be determined, but a request for proposal has been issued and it’s expected that NOW Housing will be among the companies submitting a bid.
The Cambridge-based NOW has experience with similar community-based projects elsewhere, in addition to its primary focus on building modular housing for the retail market.
For the Chatham-Kent project, each transitional cabin, similar to a shipping container, would be roughly 8-foot by 13-foot with a front door and rear-facing window.
Each would include a smoke detector/CO alarm, lighting and electrical receptacles and a key or touchscreen deadbolt lock.
They would be furnished with a bed, mini-fridge, table and chair, shelving and air conditioning/heating.
In a report to council, Josh Myers, director of housing services – operations for the municipality, states that the capital cost for the project is $1.9 million, which includes 50 cabins, one electrical cabin, one security cabin, a supply cabin and the main building. Additionally, another $650,000 would cover the delivery and installation of the cabins and main container building. And, depending on the final location for the project, site readiness costs will also need to be considered.
The main building will consist of six attached containers, which will include four bathrooms/showers, one accessible bathroom, a laundry room, two offices/meeting rooms, a staff room with washroom, kitchen and a common area.
Council opted in favour of the cabins proposal over a bunkhouse, which would have been another congregate living situation at a similar cost.
In either case, operational costs of approximately $2.1 million annually will be required to provide the necessary staffing and supports.
No matter how you slice it, providing what are essentially “tiny homes,” to our community’s most vulnerable residents is a huge step in the right direction, allowing them a level of dignity and independence that shared housing can never provide.
A portion of the operational costs are projected to be offset by contributions made by the tenants themselves through their Ontario Works payments, which is also a valuable exercise for those looking to transition to permanent housing elsewhere in the community.
According to the report, municipal staff have been assessing a number of potential sites for the project, and I’m sure that once a location or selection of locations is announced there will be the inevitable pushback by potential neighbours.
No matter where this incredibly necessary project ends up, it needs to be somewhere that is accessible to services its tenants will require, like a bus route, and ideally a grocery store.
And, even with 50 cabins to begin with, all of the homelessness needs in our community will not be met and families experiencing homelessness will still be directed to area motels.
But, this is a good start, and we must all remember that people become homeless for a myriad of reasons, many of which we, or our loved ones, could at some point experience.
The report also notes that the cabin program can be easily expanded or downsized, depending on the need, which provides it with far more flexibility than a purpose-built bunkhouse would have.
Of course, the dream is that at some point we would no longer have need of such a project, but based on current trajectories and a dire economic situation for many in our community, we are far more likely to require more units than fewer in the near future.
According to Myers’ report, the wait list for community housing in C-K is growing at an unprecedented rate, currently sitting at 1,038 households, compared to 717 in 2021. The figure includes 693 single applicants, which is twice as many single household units than the municipality currently owns and operates.
This is not a situation unique to our community, but the municipality will continue to partner with the Canadian Mental Health Association and Chatham-Kent Community Health Centre to help provide the necessary skills and supports that will allow many tenants to transition away from homelessness.
Stay well my friends.
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.
login
who are we?
contact us
qosheapp
Toi Staff
Gideon Levy
Belen Fernandez
Rami G Khouri
Tarik Cyril Amar
Mort Laitner
Rachel Marsden
Bradley Blankenship
Michael Kwet
visit website
