Dear Editor,
Re: "Residents, opposition MLAs voice concerns about Richmond supportive housing proposal"
Minister of Housing, Ravi Kahlon, recently announced the 90-unit social housing project at 3780 Sexsmith Rd. will be put back out for public consultation – returning us once again to the Richmond "Not In My Back Yard" (NIMBY) tautology: those opposed to the project do not want people living in tents, but they don’t want people in homes either.
What they really want is for unhoused people to just get out of Richmond and become somebody else’s problem. And this is exactly how they see unhoused people: as problems, not people.
This isn’t who we want to be, Richmond.
Vancouver has 77 per cent of social housing – but it isn’t Vancouver’s responsibility alone (as Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim stated).
Others need to step up - this includes affluent communities like Richmond.
Roughly 150 people are unhoused in Richmond. A 90-unit housing project would be a helpful start.
My hometown Richmond cares about its community members.
Yet the entitled privilege of a handful of people in Richmond threatens to erode our commitment to community building, social support and basic needs.
The project at Sexsmith Road was stalled once because a few NIMBYs used unhoused people as a wedge issue to forward their political aspirations.
Richmond, don’t let them stall progress again by bullying you with their scare tactics and tautological logic.
We can listen to, work with and support our unhoused neighbours.
We have the resources, ability and responsibility to create positive change in our community.
Trevor Tablotney
Richmond
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