Could tiny housing help bridge the gap between encampments and affordable housing?
The six councillors who voted in favour of the motion at Monday’s city council meeting seem to think so.
At Monday’s meeting, Coun. Anne Marie Gillis proposed a motion of the city developing an action plan to create temporary housing in a community space for those in need.
“There is a disconnect between having enough money to have an apartment and being on the street,” said Gillis.
In her motion, Gillis proposed having the dwellings located within Sarnia city limits, having secure access, and meeting all building codes including fire and access to emergency vehicles, and would be built on designated land, which has not yet been determined.
Gillis is confident that Sarnians could come together and help build the tiny houses, telling the Journal, “what I’m bringing forward is to bring the trades, and the churches, and everyone who is interested in it together to try to create the tiny home community…we can’t wait two to five years for affordable housing, we need action now.”
The majority of councillors agreed, with Gillis stressing the urgency before the meeting of getting this first step done before winter hits in a few months.
“It just cemented in my brain this is the way to go. You can carve around the edges of what you want to do with an encampment, but unless you have something for people to go to and can get it up relatively quickly before the winter so that they have a roof over their heads and a door that they can lock, that is paramount to people’s well being, and getting them out of the dire straits they are in,” explained Gillis.
Gillis felt the bridge shelter would take away the worry around what happens when you take an encampment away, and have a bunch of people with no place to go.
“This would give you low-barrier housing. We solved all those legalities without spending any money on legal fees. Putting the money towards something for our citizens that are living in [Rainbow] park,” said Gillis.
This is along the lines of a similar idea pitched by community member Kim Gawdunyk, who proposed the city build tiny homes as an alternative to the Rainbow Park encampment.
As for associated costs, Gilis explained that similar plans in other municipalities feature a low cost for people to inhabit the tiny homes as they get their feet back on the ground.
“There is, in every tiny homes community that I've seen, a fee that people do pay and it is part of the process of getting them back on their feet and managing their money,” explained Gillis.
Council approved the motion 6 -2, with counicllors Bill Dennis and Terry Burrell in opposition, with councillor Brian White noted as absent.
Monday’s council meeting also put through the motion of Coun. Chrissy McRoberts, which instituted new protocols for Rainbow Park. This would include no new people joining the encampment, if you leave the encampment you are unable to return, dogs would have to be licensed, tents would be required to be 10 feet apart, no fires and no independent fences around tents.
As for enforcing no new people joining the encampment and if you were to leave you cannot return, it was recommended that Sarnia Police Services be consulted on how to properly enforce the rule.
Another amended part of the motion was for no food to be delivered to the residents of Rainbow Park by people without their food handlers certificate. McRoberts explained that recipients had no way to keep the food at a safe temperature, and that disposal of the food could result in rodents.
“I don’t want anyone to get in trouble. I get they are trying to help but they are not really helping,” said McRoberts.
McRoberts second motion of cutting property taxes for residents in the area of Rainbow Park by half had Mayor Mike Bradley expressing concern about who would be included and the legalities involved. The motion was pushed to another council meeting.
Coun. George Vandenberg's motion for council to reconsider the June 3rd decision to obtain an injunction for Rainbow Park was also pushed to the next council meeting. Bradley suggested moving it until after the county report is released in October.
“The lawyers tell me that would help us if we go forward with the injunction,” said Bradley.
Rainbow Park was the most talked about topic at the meeting, with Coun. Bill Dennis proposing an amendment to to the city’s encampment protocol, seeing the distance of encampments from things like residences, schools and trails increase to 1,000 metres.
“Council needs to enforce bylaws and save our city,” said Dennis. “It is time for council to take back the City of Sarnia. Not only do we need to be clear about Rainbow Park, we need to stop it.”
While some councillors didn’t agree with the language used by Dennis, they did agree with the motion at its core with only councillor Adam Kilner and Dave Boushy in opposition.
Dennis also brought to council the motion of prohibiting illegal drug consumption or display in all City of Sarnia properties, including Rainbow Park and all encampments. Dennis proposed Sarnia police would be able to act immediately upon any illegal drug activity.
“Our citizens, downtown businesses and our children have to see this illegal drug consumption happening. I believe it is pretty simple to say this city will not condone or enable drug use,” said Dennis.
The motion was passed with only Coun. Dave Boushy voting in opposition to it.