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Chuck Thompson has owned Fountain Tire in Kelowna, B.C., for eight years.
In recent months, however, he has been dealing with problems he says started when a temporary homeless shelter moved into the neighbourhood in November.“I have spent several thousand dollars just in upgrading cameras for security systems here in the last two months just to try and mitigate some of the issues that we are having,” said Thompson.Thompson said loitering, drug use and garbage have been a regular occurrence but public mischief is also a big concerns.He pointed to a small fire that was set outside of the business last week as one example.“We have already seen a couple of businesses go up because of that,” Thompson said. “I really don’t feel like it’s fair for us to monitor that stuff because they put a shelter in here.” The temporary winter shelter is slated to close at the end of March but the City of Penticton is considering extending it for another year.“I understand it’s probably hard to find a place for them to go to but it still does affect our business,” he said.Despite the concerns, many are touting this winter’s shelter model as a success.
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The shelter operates on a 24-7 basis instead of just overnight, which allows it to provide ongoing access to services.It also involves a number of community partners including the city, which is the leaser holder of the property.“We are seeing really positive results, both from a public safety perspective as well as for the outcomes for the unhoused who are sheltering at this location,” said Julie Czeck, the city’s director of public safety and partnerships. Since opening in November, almost a dozen shelter residents have moved into more permanent type of housing and it’s those outcomes the city, along with advocates, wants to capitalize on.“The folks that are currently in the temporary winter shelter have stabilized really well there and we just don’t want to see people slide backwards again,” said Linda Sankey, co-chair of 100 More Homes Penticton.The committee is working on creating 100 more housing options to support those who are unhoused or at risk of homelessness.
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Those housing options include everything from new construction to the ability to tap into existing housing.“Part of what we hope to do in the next while is work with some of our private market landlords, who have shown an interest to work with our client group, to have an agreement for support to come along with the people that could be placed,” Sankey said.
“And our committee would work with them to make sure that those folks get the support and landlords also get the support so that we can make housing happen for people.”City staff will go before council on Tuesday to determine next steps in possibly extending shelter operations.“The report is seeking council’s endorsement for us, as staff, to be able to engage with the province for funding for council to consider an extension to the temporary winter shelter,” Czeck said. If the province commits to funding, the issue would then go back before council for a vote on the shelter extension.Thompson hopes the city engages with nearby business operators before moving forward.“Just to let us know this is what we are thinking of doing, do you have any issues or concerns with this,” he said.Czeck said it’s exactly what the city plans to do if the plans proceed.“The increased communication is certainly something on our radar that we are looking to amp up,” Czeck said.“Should council give us direction to explore the funding with the province, the temporary use permit process would see a vey targeted engagement again with the neighbouring businesses.”
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