A homeless man and a protestor briefly disrupted a news conference announcing housing for people experiencing homelessness in Kelowna on Thursday (Oct. 12).
Mayor Tom Dyas and Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon made the announcement at city hall.
While Kahlon was speaking an agitated man, just a few yards behind the minister, yelled several comments and expletives as bylaw officers blocked his way.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 tired of being pushed around in my hometown, being a homeless guysa国际传媒� he screamed.
Kahlon stopped speaking for a few seconds.
After several more comments, the man eventually left, while bylaw officers followed.
Another man held up a sign that read sa国际传媒楾ell JayJean Stop Racistsa国际传媒� and tried to interrupt Khalon several times.
Bylaw officers also kept him away from the minister.
The announcement was that the city and BC Housing will build 120 housing units over the coming months to support people who are unhoused and sheltering in encampments.
sa国际传媒淲e believe encampments are not safe for communities and theysa国际传媒檙e not safe for the individuals living in them,sa国际传媒� Kahlon said.
sa国际传媒淜elowna says sa国际传媒榳e want to work with you to get housing available for people before we move in on encampments.sa国际传媒� Thatsa国际传媒檚 the relationship we signed today.sa国际传媒�
Kahlon added itsa国际传媒檚 an example other cities across the province can follow.
sa国际传媒淟etsa国际传媒檚 take care of people and make sure they have somewhere to go and not just displace them.sa国际传媒�
The units will be funded through the provincial governmentsa国际传媒檚 new Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing (HEARTH) program.
They are intended as a temporary housing solution while the city and BC Housing work to identify new permanent supportive housing.
Kelowna is the first location in the Interior to use a tiny-home solution, which features small single-room units (60 square feet) that are quick to build and easy to install.
sa国际传媒淭he need for shelter and housing solutions in our community has never been greater,sa国际传媒� Dyas said. sa国际传媒淏y the process of making the encampments smaller, wesa国际传媒檙e making the community safer.
According to bylaw services, there are approximately 150 people living in the encampment along Kelownasa国际传媒檚 Rail Trail.
More information on where the units will be located will be revealed in the next two weeks, but the city has identified a handful of locations.
sa国际传媒淚nitially the first 120 will be on two, but we are speaking of three locations,sa国际传媒� Dyas added.
Once built the units will be operated by non-profit groups that will provide support services such as daily meals, 24/7 staffing, access to skills training, and support navigating the housing system.
Individuals moving into these new homes will be assessed and matched with appropriate supports.
Who is eligible to move into the units will be decided by organizations including non-profits, the city, First Nations, health professionals, and others.
sa国际传媒淲here they sit together and identify individuals and identify whatsa国际传媒檚 the right fit,sa国际传媒� Kahlon explained. sa国际传媒淭hat helps make sure that the people moving in are ready and that itsa国际传媒檚 a right mix of people in that housing.sa国际传媒�
The minister added that it is not just individuals with mental health challenges, or addiction issues who are unhoused.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 not one solution that will solve this. We have people working full-time jobs who are finding themselves homeless.sa国际传媒�
Kahlon noted that overall, more housing needs to be built in the province.
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e two decades behind and all types of housing are needed at the same time.sa国际传媒�
Tiny homes have also been installed in Victoria and Duncan, and Kahlon said his ministry will be looking to Kelowna as a pilot program.
sa国际传媒淭his is a different type of condition. Itsa国际传媒檚 a little bit colder in the winter, a little bit warmer in the summer, and seeing how it works here will be important for us to see how we roll out.sa国际传媒�
The city and the province are also partnering to implement Homeless Encampment Action Response Teams (HEART).
Its purpose is to respond to encampments and support people sheltering outdoors to move inside.
Following the news conference Kahlon spoke with the protestor who held up the sign.
The man told Kahlon that those closest to the problem (homelessness) have the best solutions and accused the government of sa国际传媒榩urposely staying away from the problem.sa国际传媒�
sa国际传媒淚f you believe the answers are in communities I would agree with you,sa国际传媒� Kahlon said. sa国际传媒淲e do engage with people who build homes, we engage with not-for-profits who are building homes, they are the ones telling solutions to us.sa国际传媒�
The man also told Kahlon that he and homeless people are treated badly by authorities in the city.
sa国际传媒淭hey surround me, they intimidate me, they threaten me. Isa国际传媒檓 an active member of the community, Isa国际传媒檓 not a homeless person. Isa国际传媒檓 just an old man holding a sign and this is the way I get treated in this city.sa国际传媒�
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