The City of Richmond will hire two outreach workers in 2024 to work with its homeless population.
The Homeless Count, done in March, showed a tripling over three years of people who are homeless in Richmond.
But a motion by Coun. Michael Wolfe on Wednesday to add four more staff to coordinate and do outreach work with the homeless, at a total cost of $561,000, wasn’t supported by the majority of city council, with some saying it was “premature.”
In the meantime, tents have appeared in Brighouse Park, something city staff told city council in November was a “political statement” made by some homeless people to address the need for permanent housing or shelters.
The Richmond News recently counted five tents at Brighouse Park, including three inside the lacrosse box nearby.
City staff have responded to 24 complaints so far since the tents appeared in Brighouse Park in October, according to a report that went to city council this week.
"We are aware that some are concerned, but we also know that many are understanding of the challenges these individuals face and simply want the city to continue to do what it can to provide the housing and support they need," said city spokesperson Clay Adams.
He added every Richmond resident has a human right to privacy, dignity and compassion, including those without homes.
"Every individual deserves access to housing that is affordable, adequate and suitable for their income, household size and specific needs. Richmond already has a range of options on the housing continuum and continues to actively work with other levels of government on developing more."
Adams told the News that tents in parks are something all municipalities in Metro Vancouver and many across Canada are facing.
"The city continues to work with senior levels of government and community partners to provide more opportunities for people to obtain the appropriate housing and supports they need as quickly as possible."
The city staff report notes the increase in homelessness has an impact on city services and budgets in several departments including bylaws, social development, parks and recreation, public works and Richmond Fire-Rescue.
Richmond Fire-Rescue have responded to 120 fires related to homelessness so far in 2023, up from 61 in 2022.
Furthermore, medical calls have almost doubled, with 205 such calls related to homelessness in 2023, compared to 114 in 2022.
Richmond has a drop-in centre with laundry and showers at Brighouse Park, and visits have almost tripled this year compared to 2022.
"Statistics collected at the Brighouse Drop-in Centre provide clear evidence of the increasing levels of need in Richmond," reads the staff report.
There are also two overnight warming centres - one at Brighouse Park and one at South Arm Outdoor Pool - and a 45-bed Richmond House Shelter on Horseshoe Way.
Aster Place and Alderbridge are also housing projects providing housing and support for people at risk of homelessness.
City council discussed potential strategies at a committee meeting in mid-October, such as speaking with provincial ministers.
However, Coun. Kash Heed questioned whether more meetings with ministers are worth the time.
"I'm just not sure what another meeting or bringing both ministers or several ministers here at this particular time would help us with the crisis we're facing right now," said Heed.
"We're not asking for major infrastructure here, we're asking as the closest government to the community that experiences this is that we take some leadership role in trying to deal with the situation we have in Richmond," he added.
Securing care for acute drug addiction should be "priority one" as well as having a recovery centre in Richmond, Coun. Carol Day said at the October meeting.
"Securing help for people with critical mental illness, why would we not ask for that?"
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