3030 gordon newsletter final
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3030 GordEmergency Shelter & Transitional H
PUBLIC OPEN HOUSESCoquitlam City Hall Foyer(3000 Guildford Way)
Wednesday, September 22, 20104:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 25, 201010:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
You are invited ... to come out on September 22 or September 25 to an Open House at the Coquitlam City Hall to see, reviediscuss the development of an emergency shelter and transitional housing facility to serve the Tri-Cities ar
The City of Coquitlam proposes to amend its Citywide Ofcial Community Plan (CWOCP) and to rezone its
site at 3030 Gordon Avenue, to permit the development of this facility. Read on to nd out more about the
and discover the ways that you can provide input.
The Need for Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing in the Tri-Cities
Since 2007, the estimated number of homeless people in the Tri-Cities area has uctuated between 160 an
and women, most of whom live along the Coquitlam River corridor and in neighbouring areas.
In 2007, the Tri-Cities Homelessness Task Group, a coalition of community service providers and governme
representatives, identied an emergency shelter and transitional housing as the most urgent need to assis
homeless people. In December of that year, community volunteers, churches across the Tri-Cities, and the t
Tri-Cities municipalities came together to use federal funding to provide a Cold/Wet Weather mat program
winter months. This program, operated by the non-prot Hope for Freedom Society, was intended to be temwill operate for its fourth winter season in 2010/11. A longer-term solution is needed.
What is an Emergency Shelter?
An emergency shelter provides temporary
services designed to help homeless people
connect with other housing options and
community support services. They also meet
the immediate needs of the homeless for
shelter, food and security.
What is Transitional Housing?
Transitional housing, also called second stage
housing, is affordable independent housing,whose tenants are provided with support
services to assist them to move on to securing
permanent independent housing, or another
longer-term living situation. Length of tenancy
is typically up to two years.Verna Semotuk, Social Planner | 604.927.3411 | [email protected]
www.coquitlam.ca/3030gordonavenuewww.coquitlam.ca/3030gordonavenuePrepared by CitySpaces Consulting Ltd.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR INPUT
September 22, 2010 | Public Open House
September 25, 2010 | Public Open House
September/October, 2010 | Neighbourhood
newsletter, group meetings as requested, written
and verbal comments to City staff.
October 15, 2010 | Written comments received by
October 15, 2010 will be included in the Report to
Council in November.
November 1, 2010 | City Staff will deliver a reportto Council that will include comments from the
public. Council will consider the staff report and
bylaw referral.
November 29, 2010 | Public Hearing
November dates subject to change.
Written comments can be provided:
By Email: By Fax:
[email protected] (604)927-3015
By Mail:
City Clerks Ofce, City Hall
3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam BC V3B 7N2
In Person:At City Hall (3000 Guildford Way) to the City Clerks
Ofce, weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
excluding statutory holidays. Phone: (604)927-3010
PUBLIC OPEN HOUSES
Coquitlam City Hall Foyer (3000 Guildford Way)
Wednesday, September 22, 20104:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 25, 201010:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
If you cannot attend an Open House, and have
questions or comments, please email:
CRIME DECLINES WHEN SH ELTERS OPENSince 2008, the Downtown Vancouver Business
Improvement Association (DVBIA) has tracked elements
of street disorder and their relationship to opening new
emergency shelters. Charles Gauthier, DVBIA Executive
Director, summarizes the research results:
We have seen a reduction in the number of people sleeping
on the street, and were also seeing a corresponding
reduction in street disorderly behaviour everything from
aggressive panhandling to open drug use, to trespassing on
private property. Providing shelters and transitional housing
is the way to get us out of this situation.
Source: Vancouver Sun, April 15, 2010
Project Partners
If the CWOCP amendment and rezoning areapproved, the City of Coquitlam will provide the land.
Other Tri-Cities municipalities may contributefunding or in-kind resources.
BC Housing will provide capital funding to buildthe project. Provincial funding commitment not yet announced.
BC Housing will provide operational funding (to
coincide with opening the building). Federal government may contribute future funding
through its Homelessness Partnership Strategy (HPS).
The selected non-prot operator or the communityat-large may provide a capital contribution and/orgift-in-kind operational contribution.
Tenants in the transitional housing units will pay rentgeared to their incomes.
Tri-Cities Homelessness Task Group will continue toadvise on local needs and community resources.
Who is the Tri-Cities Homelessness Task Group?
The Homelessness Task Group is a broad community-
based coalition comprising service providers, non-prot
organizations, local businesses, libraries, representatives
from each of the three Tri-Cities municipalities (electedand staff), government agencies, BC Housing, and
federal and provincial representatives. The Task Groups
goal is to eliminate homelessness in the Tri-Cities.
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(left) Front street viewalong GordonAvenue; (right) West rear viewalong rail line.
Architectural concept renderings byNSDA Architects.
The City of Coquitlam initiates
3030 Gordon Avenue.
2 0 0 1 2 0 0 2 2 0 0 6 2 0 0 8 2 0 1 02 0 0 7
The Tri-Cities Homelessness Task Groupis formed.
The rst regional homeless count in theTri-Cities identied 13 people, but did notinclude those living along the CoquitlamRiver Corridor
A pilot outreach program estimated 177homeless people in the Tri-Cities area,prompting a capacity-lled public forum onhomelessness solutions.
The City of Coquitlam updates itsAffordable Housing Strategy.
The Cold/Wet Weather Mat program forthe Tri-Cities is initiated.
The City of Coquitlam identies 3030 GordonAvenue as a site for emergency shelter/transitional housing.
What events have led to this project?
The facility will be designed with safety and security in
mind for both residents and neighbours. It will include
interior and exterior security systems and other features
that promote safety, such as a large internal reception
area, screened outdoor spaces and a covered area for
carts, bicycles and pets. Qualied staff will be
on-site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to provide support
to residents who need it, respond to any situationthat may occur and to monitor entry and exiting of
the building. They will. There will be no closing hours,
eliminating the need for line-ups and loitering.
The yet-to-be-selected operator will be a non-prot
organization with experience managing a shelter,
transitional housing, and providing supports and services
to homeless individuals. They will also be responsible for
ongoing liaison with the community. The operator will
be selected through a Request for Proposal (RFP) that is
developed in collaboration with the City of Coquitlam and
the Tri-Cities Homelessness Task Group, and will be issued
by BC Housing.
The Facility and its Residents
Doreens Story
Doreen is a long-time resident of the
Cities and her story did not begin un
She was happily married, with a 12-y
daughter, when her husband died su
of a heart attack. With limited skills
challenge of nding work to support
and her daughter, Doreen ended up
to drugs and living on the street and
bush along the Coquitlam River corr
to resources such as the Tri-Cities Co
Weather Mat program, food bank an
for Freedom outreach workers, Doree
able to nd housing in both an eme
shelter and then a transitional hous
facility, and receive addictions couns
Although her struggles continue, tod
Doreen is living independently and r
drug free.
Exterior Features
A four-storey building with approximately 38,000 s.f.of indoor space.
High-quality exterior design, and sensitive landscaping.
Targeted to a LEED Gold standard that promotesenergy efciency and environmental sustainability.
At-grade parking spaces for staff, volunteers and
service providers.
Interior Amenities
Thirty shelter beds, 30 self-contained transitional studiounits, supportive services and provision for a November toMarch extreme weather response program for up to30 individuals. The building would include:
Separated men and women shelter room areas.
Separate oors for transitional units.
Showers and lockers.
A commercial kitchen and dining area to serveshelter occupants.
Separate amenity spaces for the shelter andtransitional housing areas.
2-3 multi purpose rooms for programs, counselling,
visiting community and health workers.
Janitorial and storage rooms, and laundry facilities.
Administrative ofces and volunteer spaces.
Who will use the shelter?
Homeless men and women 19 years of age and older.
All shelter users will be dealing with issues of poverty
and many with mental health and/or addictions issues.
Some work full-time or part-time.
Individuals will be able to directly register at the
shelter or be referred by a community service provider,concerned citizen, police or other public agency. Length
of stay can range from one night to several months.
Who will use the transitional housing?
Individuals 19 years and older who are homeless or at
risk of being homeless. All tenants will be capable of
living in an independent setting with some level
of support services provided by the operator, or by
the community.
Tenant selection and referrals will be coordinated
through BC Housing and the non-profit operator.
Residents of the transitional housing will sign a
tenancy agreement
with the non-
profit operator.
If an individual
is deemed, for
behavioural reasons,
to be an inappropriate
tenant, alternate
accommodation will
be found.
Concept Drawings