Tiny-house villages, sanctioned tent city among emergency shelter options now under review in Vancouver

City of Vancouver staff will investigate how best to shelter the city's homeless from a list of options approved by council at an emergency meeting Monday.

The original motion, put forward by Mayor Kennedy Stewart, put three options on the table including having the citypurchaseor leasehousing units, createa sanctioned tent cityor temporarily convertbuildings into emergency housing or shelter spaces.

Councillors approved the motion on Sept. 14 with amendments added by Coun. Jean Swanson. Swanson has asked staff to also look into the feasibility of establishing a temporary tiny-house village and providing a sanctioned space for low-income residents living in recreational vehicles to park.

City staff are due to report back to council on Oct. 2.

The approaching winter weather, COVID-19 and the current homeless camp at Strathcona Park are all motivating factors for the motion.

More than 300 people are currently living in the StrathconaPark encampment. The motion that passed Monday also asks staff to consider how the proposed shelter options could facilitate a decampment in consultation with the Vancouver ParkBoard.

"No matter the course of action we take, we must all remember that the only way we can respond to people going through the hardest moments imaginable is by being compassionate and generous," said Stewart in a statement issued prior to the emergency meeting.

'It's just about displacement again'

Carnegie Community Action Project co-ordinator Fiona York, who is a daily volunteer at Strathcona Park, said she worries none of the options proposed by Stewart offer a permanent housing solution.

"It's just about displacement again," said York on CBC'sThe Early Edition on Tuesday,adding she would like to see council consult with people affected by homelessness when considering motions that have an impact on their wellbeing.

York also took issue with what she said is some of the language used by council when discussing homeless people, such as moving them into a "bubble zone," which York said implies they cannot mix with other members of society, and perpetuatesstigmatization.

She also questioned whetheran emergency shelter option, if approved, would be voluntary for Strathcona Park campers, or if they would be at risk of being criminalized if they stayed.

Stewart's motion says city staff will work with B.C. Housing and other government and non-profit agenciesto invite unsheltered residents to move into housing units or shelter spaces, then to more permanent housing, as it becomes available once an option is approved.