City needs to do more to help: Councillor
By Dan Hilborn
Published Sept. 6, 2006
The cold weather of fall is fast approaching, and the City of Burnaby is doing precious little to look after its growing population of homeless people, says veteran city councillor Gary Begin.
"Burnaby did a lousy job last year in terms of providing shelter for people in need," Begin told the Burnaby NOW last week. "There's a lot of people that live in Central Park. They live and sleep under the awning at the Robert Prittie library.
"Winter is coming, and we go through these monsoon periods where it just rains and rains, and we leave these people to sleep under a cardboard roof some place. That's just not acceptable to me.
"The City of Burnaby is very wealthy in terms of real estate. We have houses we could probably zone for a shelter, but the mayor has said outright that he does not want a permanent shelter in Burnaby.
"I do not buy that, and I will not buy that. ... We are a very fortunate community which has a lot of resources available, and I think we need to respond to this," he said.
Begin is hoping to avoid a repeat of what happened last winter when Burnaby was an unwelcoming place for the homeless. Although an emergency homeless shelter was opened at the Burnaby Alliance Church during the final cold snap of the season in late February, poor communication resulted in nobody making use of the facility.
Begin believes the homeless problem is growing in Burnaby, and the most recent statistics back up that claim. In March 2005, a region-wide homeless count found 40 people living on the streets of Burnaby, more than double the 17 homeless people found during the previous homeless count in 2002.
And even though city hall officially joined the Fraser Health Authority's Burnaby homeless task force last February, it appears that a formal proposal to address the issue is still months, if not years, away.
But Lynn Wood, executive director of the Progressive Housing Society, said there is some good news on the homelessness file.
Progressive Housing recently received a grant from B.C. Housing to hire three outreach workers, and Wood is now working with the Lookout Emergency Aid Society to put together a proposal to provide some kind of affordable housing in the community.
"We're trying to find a building to get people off the street and connected to the services they need," Wood said. "It's a community social problem, so there's a lot of shared responsibility.
"The longer term issue is a homeless shelter in the community of Burnaby. I'm not really sure who would be stepping up to take that responsibility at this point.
"We have tried to provide our expertise and interest in serving that population," she said. "But it takes a lot of components - lands, building and money, both for capital and operating funds. And those dollars generally for non-profits are not easy to come by."
Coun. Colleen Jordan, chair of the city's community development committee, is confident that Burnaby will have another emergency shelter open this winter, but she agrees with Mayor Derek Corrigan that the bulk of responsibility for the homeless file lies with the federal and provincial governments.
"We're not in the social housing business. That's not our jurisdiction," Jordan said.
The big problem, according to Jordan, is that the provincial government has not yet allocated a $200-million fund set up by the previous federal government to deal with the homeless issue.
"Not a nickel has been allocated since the spring of '05," said Jordan. "Some of it is supposed to be going for shelters for the most desperate, but nothing has been done.
"If people or groups like Progressive Housing could have applied, you could be on the road to getting some kind of facility up and running."
When asked how long it might take to build and open a homeless facility in the city, Jordan said: "I don't know. Again it depends on funding and it depends on finding a location. We've had a few churches step forward and say they could provide emergency funding, and the Salvation Army are great. They're doing their best. But having a place, ... I don't know."
Jordan also said that the city might consider a low- cost land lease to allow a non-profit agency to operate a homeless shelter, but that would depend on a specific proposal, and nothing official has come forward.
"There might be some sympathy on council to give a reduced rate, but some of the facilities going up around the province are pretty substantial and, in general, the feeling at council is that we're not into social housing."
That cautionary note was echoed by Corrigan, who is adamant that the primary responsibility for the homeless issue lies with the federal and provincial governments.
"Gary (Begin) is just trying to stir things up as much as possible," the mayor said.
"He says what we need is an overnight place for them to stay. I'm sorry. It's not that simple.
"What we need are treatment facilities for people with mental illness. Giving them a place to sleep at night doesn't change any of that."
Corrigan pointed his finger at the provincial government, which he said has redirected much of the federal money intended for housing into other programs, such as extended care in the Health Ministry.
"I'm more than happy to pressure the provincial government, but I disagree strongly that the solution is a flophouse. ... Let's not take the easy route," said the mayor.
Corrigan also said that a recent report from SFU assistant professor Marina Morrow reinforces his view because it ties the issue of homelessness to a series of cutbacks of services for people with mental illness over the past five years.
Meanwhile, Wood said the Burnaby homeless task force will begin a public awareness campaign this fall, and she is confident a temporary shelter will be in place before the coldest weather of winter descends.
"My preference is to have the shelter planned so we know the location well in advance and we can make that information available to all the agencies," she said.
"The other thing is to build a level of trust with people on the street so we're not driving around in the middle of the night looking for people to take to the shelter."
Wood also pointed to the recent closure of an illegal 25-bed rooming housing on the east side of the city as an indicator of underlying problem.
"Something like that says to me that there is a lack of affordable housing in the community," she said.
"When something like that occurs, it's usually because people are trying to find a cheap solution."
Showing posts with label homelessness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label homelessness. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Outreach worker gets more funding
By Dan Hilborn
Published May 27, 2006
Burnaby's homeless outreach worker will be able to continue her work helping to get people off the streets thanks to a recent funding commitment from B.C. Housing.
"We are grateful and excited to learn that B.C. Housing recognizes the value of the work the outreach worker has been involved with in Burnaby and we intend to continue working with other members of the Burnaby Homelessness Task Force to seek long- term solutions to homelessness," said Lynn Wood, executive director of the Progressive Housing Society, in an e-mail to the Burnaby NOW.
Since the position was created last year, the outreach worker has been in contact with 160 clients, including 56 children in 25 families, all of whom are either living on the street or are at risk of becoming homeless.
Wood is now seeking other sources of funds to provide operational costs for the worker, bus tickets for its clients and other supports. Discussion for further funds are underway with the Canadian Mental Health Association, the national Raising the Roof campaign and the B.C. Gaming Commission casino direct access program.
Last week, Wood said the need for homeless support is so great that her office would like to be able to provide "three or four" outreach workers around the city, plus a resource centre where people could get a meal, showers and other services.
Published May 27, 2006
Burnaby's homeless outreach worker will be able to continue her work helping to get people off the streets thanks to a recent funding commitment from B.C. Housing.
"We are grateful and excited to learn that B.C. Housing recognizes the value of the work the outreach worker has been involved with in Burnaby and we intend to continue working with other members of the Burnaby Homelessness Task Force to seek long- term solutions to homelessness," said Lynn Wood, executive director of the Progressive Housing Society, in an e-mail to the Burnaby NOW.
Since the position was created last year, the outreach worker has been in contact with 160 clients, including 56 children in 25 families, all of whom are either living on the street or are at risk of becoming homeless.
Wood is now seeking other sources of funds to provide operational costs for the worker, bus tickets for its clients and other supports. Discussion for further funds are underway with the Canadian Mental Health Association, the national Raising the Roof campaign and the B.C. Gaming Commission casino direct access program.
Last week, Wood said the need for homeless support is so great that her office would like to be able to provide "three or four" outreach workers around the city, plus a resource centre where people could get a meal, showers and other services.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Outreach funding to run out
By Dan Hilborn
Published May 20, 2006
Funding for Burnaby's lone homeless outreach worker will run out in less than three weeks, at a time when local service agencies are finding an increased need for that kind of service.
Lynn Wood, executive director of the Progressive Housing Society, said she is desperately seeking a new source of funding for the worker, who has been busy for the past year compiling statistics and providing help to people who are either living on the street or at risk of becoming homeless.
"As soon as our outreach worker started her job, the need for her work increased exponentially," Wood said. "It is frustrating. We've got to the point where people are convinced there is a problem, but we need to find the right agency to help us fund this."
The outreach worker position was funded by a special grant from the Fraser Health Authority as part of its commitment to the Burnaby homelessness task force. But that temporary funding is not available after next month, and a recent application to the federal crime prevention action fund for replacement money was unsuccessful.
Progressive Housing has also sent a funding application to the B.C. community health association, which has some money available for homeless outreach services, and, failing that, the society will likely apply to the B.C. Gaming Commission and other non-profit funders, such as the United Way and Vancity Foundation, for assistance.
Wood said recent statistics compiled by Patricia Pedersen, who has been Burnaby's homeless outreach worker since last October, show that the need for services has risen dramatically ever since the community learned she was available to help.
Since last October, Pedersen has been in contact with 160 clients, including 56 children in 25 families, all of whom either live on the street or are at risk of becoming homeless.
Those numbers are substantially greater than the 40 homeless people who listed Burnaby as their city of residence during the Lower Mainland's most recent official homeless count in March 2005 and substantively more than the 17 people who listed themselves as homeless in Burnaby in 2002.
The demand is so great, Burnaby could probably use the services of "three or four" outreach workers around the city, plus a resource centre where people could get a daily meal, showers, use of a computer and referrals to other agencies, Wood said.
In fact, Wood said that Pedersen has been so busy in the Edmonds neighbourhood, in the southeast quadrant of the city, that she has been unable to look into what level of help or services might be needed in the other three corners of Burnaby.
The total cost of the outreach worker's position is about $80,000, of which less than $50,000 covers the worker's salary and benefits. The remaining money would pay for travel costs for the worker and for her clients to access services in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, bus passes for clients and occasionally food.
Wood also said she has been pleasantly surprised by the substantial donations of household items and clothing that have been brought to the society since their work became public. "We've kitted up whole families with furnishings and clothing," she said.
Southside Community Church has also stepped forward with an offer of space for the homeless resource centre and a further offer of assistance for outreach services to the multicultural community, Wood said.
And while Wood was happy to see the Burnaby Alliance Church open an emergency homeless shelter during the coldest days of last winter, she said that service was only offered with about three hours' notice, which was not adequate to bring people indoors.
"With homeless people, you have to build a level of trust over a significant period of time," she said. "You can't just drive up in a van at 10 o'clock at night and ask them to come with you to an emergency shelter.
"They have to regularly come to a location to feel comfortable."
Wood said her society and the homeless task force have been studying the various aspects of homelessness for more than a year and they should be ready to develop a formal service plan in the near future. The only thing lacking is money, she said.
"We've made significant headway in the past year and I'd hate to see it lost. We are very Burnaby-focused and that is the best thing possible," she said.
Published May 20, 2006
Funding for Burnaby's lone homeless outreach worker will run out in less than three weeks, at a time when local service agencies are finding an increased need for that kind of service.
Lynn Wood, executive director of the Progressive Housing Society, said she is desperately seeking a new source of funding for the worker, who has been busy for the past year compiling statistics and providing help to people who are either living on the street or at risk of becoming homeless.
"As soon as our outreach worker started her job, the need for her work increased exponentially," Wood said. "It is frustrating. We've got to the point where people are convinced there is a problem, but we need to find the right agency to help us fund this."
The outreach worker position was funded by a special grant from the Fraser Health Authority as part of its commitment to the Burnaby homelessness task force. But that temporary funding is not available after next month, and a recent application to the federal crime prevention action fund for replacement money was unsuccessful.
Progressive Housing has also sent a funding application to the B.C. community health association, which has some money available for homeless outreach services, and, failing that, the society will likely apply to the B.C. Gaming Commission and other non-profit funders, such as the United Way and Vancity Foundation, for assistance.
Wood said recent statistics compiled by Patricia Pedersen, who has been Burnaby's homeless outreach worker since last October, show that the need for services has risen dramatically ever since the community learned she was available to help.
Since last October, Pedersen has been in contact with 160 clients, including 56 children in 25 families, all of whom either live on the street or are at risk of becoming homeless.
Those numbers are substantially greater than the 40 homeless people who listed Burnaby as their city of residence during the Lower Mainland's most recent official homeless count in March 2005 and substantively more than the 17 people who listed themselves as homeless in Burnaby in 2002.
The demand is so great, Burnaby could probably use the services of "three or four" outreach workers around the city, plus a resource centre where people could get a daily meal, showers, use of a computer and referrals to other agencies, Wood said.
In fact, Wood said that Pedersen has been so busy in the Edmonds neighbourhood, in the southeast quadrant of the city, that she has been unable to look into what level of help or services might be needed in the other three corners of Burnaby.
The total cost of the outreach worker's position is about $80,000, of which less than $50,000 covers the worker's salary and benefits. The remaining money would pay for travel costs for the worker and for her clients to access services in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, bus passes for clients and occasionally food.
Wood also said she has been pleasantly surprised by the substantial donations of household items and clothing that have been brought to the society since their work became public. "We've kitted up whole families with furnishings and clothing," she said.
Southside Community Church has also stepped forward with an offer of space for the homeless resource centre and a further offer of assistance for outreach services to the multicultural community, Wood said.
And while Wood was happy to see the Burnaby Alliance Church open an emergency homeless shelter during the coldest days of last winter, she said that service was only offered with about three hours' notice, which was not adequate to bring people indoors.
"With homeless people, you have to build a level of trust over a significant period of time," she said. "You can't just drive up in a van at 10 o'clock at night and ask them to come with you to an emergency shelter.
"They have to regularly come to a location to feel comfortable."
Wood said her society and the homeless task force have been studying the various aspects of homelessness for more than a year and they should be ready to develop a formal service plan in the near future. The only thing lacking is money, she said.
"We've made significant headway in the past year and I'd hate to see it lost. We are very Burnaby-focused and that is the best thing possible," she said.
Family facing eviction
By Dan Hilborn
Published May 10, 2006
Cindy Brule was just a young girl when her family first moved into the city-owned rental house on a two-acre parcel of land near Burnaby Lake.
It was an idyllic place to grow up. There were apple trees in the yard, a chicken coop out back and Burnaby Lake was just a three-minute walk down the alley.
When Brule moved away as a young adult, she always enjoyed her visits back home to spend time with her father and the sister who stayed in the house.
When her father's health took a turn for the worse in 1999, Brule's sister stayed on as the new official tenant of record in the home. Then, last winter, Brule's sister decided to move too, and that's when Brule, her husband and three kids moved into the 80-year-old home and took over payment of the $800-per-month rent that was charged by the city.
But the Brules do not have a formal leasing agreement with the City of Burnaby, and their dream of living in the longtime family home appears to be coming to an unhappy end.
Last week, the Brules received a letter from Carol Clausen, the supervisor of property use and property management at Burnaby city hall, that informs them they are not recognized as the "official tenants of record" on the property. The letter states they will have to move, probably within two months, as the city moves forward with its long-term plan to develop the property as part of nearby Warner Loat Park.
The Brule family, who survive on the small $30,000 annual salary that husband Norm earns as a chartered bus driver and can only obtain a mortgage of about $120,000, are worried they will never be able to find another place as nice as Cindy's lifelong family home, where they can afford the rent.
Cindy Brule is understandably frantic about the prospects.
"It's hard to find housing for a family," Brule said, in one of about half-a-dozen interviews with the Burnaby NOW since she first contacted this newspaper more than two weeks ago.
"The way I see it, this has always been our home," she said. "It's been our home for 36 years."
While nobody disputes the fact that Brule has regularly moved in and out of the home at 4079 Piper Ave. over the past 36 years, neither Cindy nor her husband have a legal tenancy agreement on the property.
Brule's father first moved onto the sprawling property with his family in June 1970, when Cindy was still a child. After the death of his wife, the father moved out in 1994, and the then-adult Cindy with her own family moved back into the house. Two years later, Cindy and the young family moved to Quebec, and her sister legally added her name to the lease, which was still in her father's name.
Compounding the issue is a recent inspection report from the city's physical plant maintenance department that found the home needs "considerable work" to bring it up to current rental standards. And the city is reluctant to undertake that work, when the long-term plan calls for the demolition of the home and the conversion of the property into undeveloped parkland.
Craig Collis, the chief license inspector at Burnaby city hall, said there are few options open to the city.
"We have a process for tenanting our properties, and we don't have a tenancy agreement with the Brules," said Collis, who noted that family may have to argue their case with the Residential Tenancy Branch.
While Collis understands the anxiety and apprehension of the family, he also said there is little he can do to help.
"We don't provide breaks, or low income housing," Collis said. "But if we do come across a situation where a tenant's financial situation has changed, what we do offer them is to contact people with BC Housing and similar organizations, so that hopefully, they can get some housing within the same general area."
Patricia Pedersen, the official homeless outreach worker in Burnaby, said the highly unusual case of the Brule family is evidence of how tough it is for a family of limited financial means to find decent affordable housing in the increasingly expensive urban environment of Burnaby.
"They're in a really bad squeeze," Pedersen told the Burnaby NOW. "They're not going to be able to find housing for that price. And I think the best we can do is buy them some time.
"The family is in there because they misinterpreted the situation and believed their could assume the lease," Pedersen said. "I look at the situation morally. She was raised there, she wants her kids there, and morally, I don't think it's right to take her off that land."
Pedersen said she is willing to take up the Brule's case, but the family may have to be prepared to move out of that particular house.
"Legally, they don't have the documents, so even asking the city to do something may be a waste of time," she said.
Pedersen also said that the Brule's story is a good example of what can happen when there is a lack of affordable housing in a community.
"If a family is forced into a place they can't afford, they have to make the choice between rent and food, and that is essentially causing homelessness," she said. "We need more affordable housing."
Pedersen, who is worried about the funding for her own job running out next month, said the city should consider a suggestion to charge lower rental fees for low income families.
Published May 10, 2006
Cindy Brule was just a young girl when her family first moved into the city-owned rental house on a two-acre parcel of land near Burnaby Lake.
It was an idyllic place to grow up. There were apple trees in the yard, a chicken coop out back and Burnaby Lake was just a three-minute walk down the alley.
When Brule moved away as a young adult, she always enjoyed her visits back home to spend time with her father and the sister who stayed in the house.
When her father's health took a turn for the worse in 1999, Brule's sister stayed on as the new official tenant of record in the home. Then, last winter, Brule's sister decided to move too, and that's when Brule, her husband and three kids moved into the 80-year-old home and took over payment of the $800-per-month rent that was charged by the city.
But the Brules do not have a formal leasing agreement with the City of Burnaby, and their dream of living in the longtime family home appears to be coming to an unhappy end.
Last week, the Brules received a letter from Carol Clausen, the supervisor of property use and property management at Burnaby city hall, that informs them they are not recognized as the "official tenants of record" on the property. The letter states they will have to move, probably within two months, as the city moves forward with its long-term plan to develop the property as part of nearby Warner Loat Park.
The Brule family, who survive on the small $30,000 annual salary that husband Norm earns as a chartered bus driver and can only obtain a mortgage of about $120,000, are worried they will never be able to find another place as nice as Cindy's lifelong family home, where they can afford the rent.
Cindy Brule is understandably frantic about the prospects.
"It's hard to find housing for a family," Brule said, in one of about half-a-dozen interviews with the Burnaby NOW since she first contacted this newspaper more than two weeks ago.
"The way I see it, this has always been our home," she said. "It's been our home for 36 years."
While nobody disputes the fact that Brule has regularly moved in and out of the home at 4079 Piper Ave. over the past 36 years, neither Cindy nor her husband have a legal tenancy agreement on the property.
Brule's father first moved onto the sprawling property with his family in June 1970, when Cindy was still a child. After the death of his wife, the father moved out in 1994, and the then-adult Cindy with her own family moved back into the house. Two years later, Cindy and the young family moved to Quebec, and her sister legally added her name to the lease, which was still in her father's name.
Compounding the issue is a recent inspection report from the city's physical plant maintenance department that found the home needs "considerable work" to bring it up to current rental standards. And the city is reluctant to undertake that work, when the long-term plan calls for the demolition of the home and the conversion of the property into undeveloped parkland.
Craig Collis, the chief license inspector at Burnaby city hall, said there are few options open to the city.
"We have a process for tenanting our properties, and we don't have a tenancy agreement with the Brules," said Collis, who noted that family may have to argue their case with the Residential Tenancy Branch.
While Collis understands the anxiety and apprehension of the family, he also said there is little he can do to help.
"We don't provide breaks, or low income housing," Collis said. "But if we do come across a situation where a tenant's financial situation has changed, what we do offer them is to contact people with BC Housing and similar organizations, so that hopefully, they can get some housing within the same general area."
Patricia Pedersen, the official homeless outreach worker in Burnaby, said the highly unusual case of the Brule family is evidence of how tough it is for a family of limited financial means to find decent affordable housing in the increasingly expensive urban environment of Burnaby.
"They're in a really bad squeeze," Pedersen told the Burnaby NOW. "They're not going to be able to find housing for that price. And I think the best we can do is buy them some time.
"The family is in there because they misinterpreted the situation and believed their could assume the lease," Pedersen said. "I look at the situation morally. She was raised there, she wants her kids there, and morally, I don't think it's right to take her off that land."
Pedersen said she is willing to take up the Brule's case, but the family may have to be prepared to move out of that particular house.
"Legally, they don't have the documents, so even asking the city to do something may be a waste of time," she said.
Pedersen also said that the Brule's story is a good example of what can happen when there is a lack of affordable housing in a community.
"If a family is forced into a place they can't afford, they have to make the choice between rent and food, and that is essentially causing homelessness," she said. "We need more affordable housing."
Pedersen, who is worried about the funding for her own job running out next month, said the city should consider a suggestion to charge lower rental fees for low income families.
Homeless outreach centre needed
By Dan Hilborn
Published May 3, 2006
Patricia Pedersen has had a very busy six months.
As Burnaby's official homeless outreach worker, she has given assistance to exactly 112 people - including 32 dependent children - who either live on the streets of Burnaby or are threatened with the loss of their homes.
In 20 of those cases, Pedersen was instrumental in helping those people or families find new homes. Other times, she's helped her clients get medical attention or put food in their bellies.
But funding for her job runs out sometime next month, and Pedersen is worried that some of the most unfortunate people in the city are going to be left without the assistance and support they need to find decent affordable accommodation.
And with just a few weeks left in her mandate, Pedersen is calling for the creation of a permanent drop-in centre for the homeless in Burnaby, complete with two or three outreach workers to serve as advocates.
"We need a drop-in centre that has a meal every day," Pedersen said. "We need to have something permanent."
Pedersen, who works for the Progressive Housing Society near the corner of Kingsway and Edmonds, says Burnaby has little official help and few public resources for those unfortunate individuals who are deemed 'at-risk' of living on the streets.
Some of the most upsetting stories revolve around the 'long-term homeless' who are unable to access government help because they lack formal documentation, which often relies on having a stable home address.
"Often I see people with no identification, no medical and no money," she said.
And while the homeless typically don't come looking for help until they are in dire straits, Pedersen said government does not make it easy for a person to get themselves off the streets. In British Columbia, the disadvantaged have to contend with a government bureaucracy that makes a series of unusual demands before official assistance is offered.
Pedersen said one of the most disturbing cases she saw was last December when she was called to help a mentally confused man who was sleeping inside a Ministry of Employment and Immigration office. The man came in asking for help and was told that there was a minimum 21- day waiting period.
"He had a protruding hernia and I was afraid he was was going to die," Pedersen said. "I tried to get him to a doctor, but he wouldn't go because he didn't trust them. He was afraid to get into my car, because he was afraid I'd take him someplace else to be locked up.
"December was the last time I saw him. I fear he's probably not around anymore. I called the police and ambulance that day, but to no avail. I'm hoping he'll resurface again."
That 21-day waiting period - which all applicants for government assistance must endure - is probably the most frequent complaint Pedersen hears in her work, she said.
Another problem arises because B.C.'s welfare regulations demand that a person's most recent income tax statements have to be filed before they are eligible for government assistance - a nearly impossible task for someone who has been living on the streets or moving from couch to couch.
And even after they qualify, a single person in B.C. receives only $500 per month, of which $325 is allocated specifically for shelter. Pedersen says that funding is "impossible" to live on.
"That's supposed to include their heat, light and phone, and it's impossible," she said. "There's no housing in Burnaby at all at that price. Even in the surrounding areas, that $325 is tough to find."
Pedersen admits she's had to "think outside the box" to find solutions for some people - such as advising people who sleep outside to try to pool their income assistance cheques to find suitable accommodation.
But there is yet another drawback to having people live together, and that is a social assistance rule that deems all male-female couples as dependencies - giving two people just a little bit more than $600 per month, instead of two cheques of $500 apiece. And when one roommate is deemed to be dependent on the other, it's typically the woman who loses her rights and privileges under the law.
Another major deficiency in Burnaby's services for the homeless is the lack of free meal programs - currently there is only one free lunch in the city, offered every Tuesday out of a church on Sussex Street - and the absence of a medical clinic that will treat people without documentation.
Pedersen admits to taking homeless people from Burnaby to a drop- in clinic in downtown Vancouver, where she has to be less than truthful about where her client lives. "I do it because it's in the best interest of the client," she said. "I need to get them medical help, and I'm not able to do it in Burnaby."
While families with children are eligible for assistance from within the school system, which has a network of community school coordinators dedicated to that task, a family that is just beginning to experience difficulties will often have trouble learning where to go for help.
For instance, sometimes a family won't ask for help until after the main income earner has lost their job and the food has run out. And once an individual or family is on that downward slope, the situation can deteriorate quickly, she said.
Sometimes, families compound the problem when they make a decision to put food on the table instead of paying the rent.
Published May 3, 2006
Patricia Pedersen has had a very busy six months.
As Burnaby's official homeless outreach worker, she has given assistance to exactly 112 people - including 32 dependent children - who either live on the streets of Burnaby or are threatened with the loss of their homes.
In 20 of those cases, Pedersen was instrumental in helping those people or families find new homes. Other times, she's helped her clients get medical attention or put food in their bellies.
But funding for her job runs out sometime next month, and Pedersen is worried that some of the most unfortunate people in the city are going to be left without the assistance and support they need to find decent affordable accommodation.
And with just a few weeks left in her mandate, Pedersen is calling for the creation of a permanent drop-in centre for the homeless in Burnaby, complete with two or three outreach workers to serve as advocates.
"We need a drop-in centre that has a meal every day," Pedersen said. "We need to have something permanent."
Pedersen, who works for the Progressive Housing Society near the corner of Kingsway and Edmonds, says Burnaby has little official help and few public resources for those unfortunate individuals who are deemed 'at-risk' of living on the streets.
Some of the most upsetting stories revolve around the 'long-term homeless' who are unable to access government help because they lack formal documentation, which often relies on having a stable home address.
"Often I see people with no identification, no medical and no money," she said.
And while the homeless typically don't come looking for help until they are in dire straits, Pedersen said government does not make it easy for a person to get themselves off the streets. In British Columbia, the disadvantaged have to contend with a government bureaucracy that makes a series of unusual demands before official assistance is offered.
Pedersen said one of the most disturbing cases she saw was last December when she was called to help a mentally confused man who was sleeping inside a Ministry of Employment and Immigration office. The man came in asking for help and was told that there was a minimum 21- day waiting period.
"He had a protruding hernia and I was afraid he was was going to die," Pedersen said. "I tried to get him to a doctor, but he wouldn't go because he didn't trust them. He was afraid to get into my car, because he was afraid I'd take him someplace else to be locked up.
"December was the last time I saw him. I fear he's probably not around anymore. I called the police and ambulance that day, but to no avail. I'm hoping he'll resurface again."
That 21-day waiting period - which all applicants for government assistance must endure - is probably the most frequent complaint Pedersen hears in her work, she said.
Another problem arises because B.C.'s welfare regulations demand that a person's most recent income tax statements have to be filed before they are eligible for government assistance - a nearly impossible task for someone who has been living on the streets or moving from couch to couch.
And even after they qualify, a single person in B.C. receives only $500 per month, of which $325 is allocated specifically for shelter. Pedersen says that funding is "impossible" to live on.
"That's supposed to include their heat, light and phone, and it's impossible," she said. "There's no housing in Burnaby at all at that price. Even in the surrounding areas, that $325 is tough to find."
Pedersen admits she's had to "think outside the box" to find solutions for some people - such as advising people who sleep outside to try to pool their income assistance cheques to find suitable accommodation.
But there is yet another drawback to having people live together, and that is a social assistance rule that deems all male-female couples as dependencies - giving two people just a little bit more than $600 per month, instead of two cheques of $500 apiece. And when one roommate is deemed to be dependent on the other, it's typically the woman who loses her rights and privileges under the law.
Another major deficiency in Burnaby's services for the homeless is the lack of free meal programs - currently there is only one free lunch in the city, offered every Tuesday out of a church on Sussex Street - and the absence of a medical clinic that will treat people without documentation.
Pedersen admits to taking homeless people from Burnaby to a drop- in clinic in downtown Vancouver, where she has to be less than truthful about where her client lives. "I do it because it's in the best interest of the client," she said. "I need to get them medical help, and I'm not able to do it in Burnaby."
While families with children are eligible for assistance from within the school system, which has a network of community school coordinators dedicated to that task, a family that is just beginning to experience difficulties will often have trouble learning where to go for help.
For instance, sometimes a family won't ask for help until after the main income earner has lost their job and the food has run out. And once an individual or family is on that downward slope, the situation can deteriorate quickly, she said.
Sometimes, families compound the problem when they make a decision to put food on the table instead of paying the rent.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Family of eight left homeless
By Dan Hilborn
Published Nov. 30, 2005
A single-parent family with seven boys is looking for a new place to live after fire destroyed their rental home and all of their possessions last week.
Stephen Belleau, 19, said he, his deaf mother and six brothers are lucky to be alive after a fire broke out in the basement of a house in the 7100 block of Stride Avenue at about 6:30 p.m. last Wednesday, Nov. 23.
"We were all upstairs and nobody is really 100 per cent sure how it started," Belleau told the Burnaby NOW. "My mother smelled smoke, and we thought it was in the fireplace.
"I ran down to check, and that's when we realized there was a fire," he said. "We called 911, and the firemen were there in five minutes but, by that time, the fire was spreading pretty quickly.
"There wasn't any immediate danger because we were all able to get out of the house quickly," Belleau said. "We're lucky it just didn't happen at three o'clock in the morning."
Burnaby fire inspector Fred Scarfe said the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, but there was only about $45,000 worth of structural damage to the 45-year-old, two-storey home. The most devastating aspect of the fire was the smoke damage, which completely destroyed the family's possessions, including food, clothing and furniture.
Gillian Gallson, who lives in the Cedar Place complex operated by B.C. Housing on nearby 14th Avenue, has opened her own doors to the family in the hope of keeping them in the community where they've lived for the past six years.
"I've been in similar circumstances and I know how traumatic it can be," said Gallson, whose sons are good friends with the younger Belleau children. "I just felt it was much better if they could stay with their own friends."
With two adults and nine children in a three-bedroom home - the oldest Belleau son has moved in with another friend - the floor has been covered in sleeping bags and meals have to be served in two shifts.
Gallson said she is working with the family, Stride Avenue community school, city hall and others to help keep the Belleau family living in the southeast Burnaby community.
The family has turned down B.C. Housing's initial offer of moving to East Vancouver and is now hoping to move into a four-bedroom townhouse in the Cedar Place complex.
Stephen Belleau said his family is receiving "mixed messages" from different officials in B.C. Housing as to whether they can stay in the neighbourhood.
"They have placed us on higher priority, but what that means I don't know," he said.
However, he said the family is thankful for the support and assistance they have received from the emergency social services division of Burnaby city hall. Although they turned down an offer of three nights' free accommodation at a motel, they have accepted food and clothing vouchers to replace some of the items lost in the fire.
Belleau noted that his younger brothers are having a great time staying with friends but he is worried about the stress on his mother.
"It's been tough," he said. "Before this, I would have thought that something like this would have just been overwhelming. But it's fallen on my shoulders to just suck it up and do it."
When asked if he was doing OK, Belleau replied: "Yeah, I think so."
Published Nov. 30, 2005
A single-parent family with seven boys is looking for a new place to live after fire destroyed their rental home and all of their possessions last week.
Stephen Belleau, 19, said he, his deaf mother and six brothers are lucky to be alive after a fire broke out in the basement of a house in the 7100 block of Stride Avenue at about 6:30 p.m. last Wednesday, Nov. 23.
"We were all upstairs and nobody is really 100 per cent sure how it started," Belleau told the Burnaby NOW. "My mother smelled smoke, and we thought it was in the fireplace.
"I ran down to check, and that's when we realized there was a fire," he said. "We called 911, and the firemen were there in five minutes but, by that time, the fire was spreading pretty quickly.
"There wasn't any immediate danger because we were all able to get out of the house quickly," Belleau said. "We're lucky it just didn't happen at three o'clock in the morning."
Burnaby fire inspector Fred Scarfe said the exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, but there was only about $45,000 worth of structural damage to the 45-year-old, two-storey home. The most devastating aspect of the fire was the smoke damage, which completely destroyed the family's possessions, including food, clothing and furniture.
Gillian Gallson, who lives in the Cedar Place complex operated by B.C. Housing on nearby 14th Avenue, has opened her own doors to the family in the hope of keeping them in the community where they've lived for the past six years.
"I've been in similar circumstances and I know how traumatic it can be," said Gallson, whose sons are good friends with the younger Belleau children. "I just felt it was much better if they could stay with their own friends."
With two adults and nine children in a three-bedroom home - the oldest Belleau son has moved in with another friend - the floor has been covered in sleeping bags and meals have to be served in two shifts.
Gallson said she is working with the family, Stride Avenue community school, city hall and others to help keep the Belleau family living in the southeast Burnaby community.
The family has turned down B.C. Housing's initial offer of moving to East Vancouver and is now hoping to move into a four-bedroom townhouse in the Cedar Place complex.
Stephen Belleau said his family is receiving "mixed messages" from different officials in B.C. Housing as to whether they can stay in the neighbourhood.
"They have placed us on higher priority, but what that means I don't know," he said.
However, he said the family is thankful for the support and assistance they have received from the emergency social services division of Burnaby city hall. Although they turned down an offer of three nights' free accommodation at a motel, they have accepted food and clothing vouchers to replace some of the items lost in the fire.
Belleau noted that his younger brothers are having a great time staying with friends but he is worried about the stress on his mother.
"It's been tough," he said. "Before this, I would have thought that something like this would have just been overwhelming. But it's fallen on my shoulders to just suck it up and do it."
When asked if he was doing OK, Belleau replied: "Yeah, I think so."
Friday, July 4, 2008
Homelessness under study
By Dan Hilborn
Published July 27, 2005
A six-month research project that is looking into the root causes behind a 135-per-cent increase in homelessness in Burnaby over the past four years is discovering that there's no one simple or single reason why a person might live on the streets.
Jennifer Brubacher, the homeless outreach worker hired by the City of Burnaby and Fraser Health Authority earlier this year, said she is discovering that each homeless person she meets has a unique story.
"People, I think, are generally just one paycheque away, and once you've been evicted and on the street, it's kind of hard in our social welfare system these days to pick yourself up and pull yourself back together," Brubacher told the Burnaby NOW last week.
"That, I think, is the most common thread.
"Once you're on the street and learn to manoeuvre, you become street-entrenched and then it's hard to get out. It becomes a new uncomfortable comfort zone and then, as time goes on and more doors are slammed in your face, you lose hope."
Brubacher, who is trying to interview as many homeless people as she can find, is now halfway through her research project.
When the data collection is complete, the information will be forwarded to the firm Jim Woodward and Associates, which will conduct a "gap analysis" and needs assessment report that will be forwarded to the Burnaby Homelessness Task Force.
Earlier this year, the Greater Vancouver regional steering committee on homelessness found a total of 40 people who identified themselves as Burnaby residents living on Lower Mainland streets. That compares with just 17 homeless people identified as Burnaby residents during a similar project in 2002. Overall, the report found 2,112 homeless people in the region, up 101 per cent from the 1,049 people found three years previously.
The report also states that more than 126,000 people in 56,000 households across the Lower Mainland are 'at risk' of becoming homeless.
Brubacher, who works for the Progressive Housing Society, is now in the process of talking to as many homeless people in Burnaby as she can find in an effort to make recommendations on what kinds of services are needed.
Last month, New Westminster city councillor Jerry Dobrovolny criticized Burnaby city council for its lack of services for the homeless.
"I think it's absolutely atrocious that Burnaby has 10 per cent of the (homeless) population and one per cent of the beds," he said.
Brubacher said the hiring of a permanent homeless outreach worker would be a good first step towards providing the necessary services because many homeless people are simply looking for a sign of hope.
"The level of hope probably varies with how long they've been on the street, and I'm finding most people have been out there for more than one year - over winter, over summer, all four seasons," she said.
"They're not very hopeful. I would think it would take something like an outreach worker to make them aware of services that are available and help them realize that life does not just stop once you're on the street. With some effort and some time, they can pull themselves off the street, but they need proper services, of course."
Brubacher said many of Burnaby's homeless are men who simply can't cope after the breakup of their marriages or people who have drug or alcohol addictions, but there are exceptions. In one case, she found a 10-year-old boy wandering the streets after his parents didn't come home.
Brubacher also said that much of the evidence she's seen indicates that the actual numbers are even higher than in the official count.
Brubacher expects to finish her research by the end of September but is still looking for as many homeless people in Burnaby as she can find. Anyone who knows where a homeless person might be staying is asked to contact her at Progressive Housing, 604-522-9669, ext. 317.
Published July 27, 2005
A six-month research project that is looking into the root causes behind a 135-per-cent increase in homelessness in Burnaby over the past four years is discovering that there's no one simple or single reason why a person might live on the streets.
Jennifer Brubacher, the homeless outreach worker hired by the City of Burnaby and Fraser Health Authority earlier this year, said she is discovering that each homeless person she meets has a unique story.
"People, I think, are generally just one paycheque away, and once you've been evicted and on the street, it's kind of hard in our social welfare system these days to pick yourself up and pull yourself back together," Brubacher told the Burnaby NOW last week.
"That, I think, is the most common thread.
"Once you're on the street and learn to manoeuvre, you become street-entrenched and then it's hard to get out. It becomes a new uncomfortable comfort zone and then, as time goes on and more doors are slammed in your face, you lose hope."
Brubacher, who is trying to interview as many homeless people as she can find, is now halfway through her research project.
When the data collection is complete, the information will be forwarded to the firm Jim Woodward and Associates, which will conduct a "gap analysis" and needs assessment report that will be forwarded to the Burnaby Homelessness Task Force.
Earlier this year, the Greater Vancouver regional steering committee on homelessness found a total of 40 people who identified themselves as Burnaby residents living on Lower Mainland streets. That compares with just 17 homeless people identified as Burnaby residents during a similar project in 2002. Overall, the report found 2,112 homeless people in the region, up 101 per cent from the 1,049 people found three years previously.
The report also states that more than 126,000 people in 56,000 households across the Lower Mainland are 'at risk' of becoming homeless.
Brubacher, who works for the Progressive Housing Society, is now in the process of talking to as many homeless people in Burnaby as she can find in an effort to make recommendations on what kinds of services are needed.
Last month, New Westminster city councillor Jerry Dobrovolny criticized Burnaby city council for its lack of services for the homeless.
"I think it's absolutely atrocious that Burnaby has 10 per cent of the (homeless) population and one per cent of the beds," he said.
Brubacher said the hiring of a permanent homeless outreach worker would be a good first step towards providing the necessary services because many homeless people are simply looking for a sign of hope.
"The level of hope probably varies with how long they've been on the street, and I'm finding most people have been out there for more than one year - over winter, over summer, all four seasons," she said.
"They're not very hopeful. I would think it would take something like an outreach worker to make them aware of services that are available and help them realize that life does not just stop once you're on the street. With some effort and some time, they can pull themselves off the street, but they need proper services, of course."
Brubacher said many of Burnaby's homeless are men who simply can't cope after the breakup of their marriages or people who have drug or alcohol addictions, but there are exceptions. In one case, she found a 10-year-old boy wandering the streets after his parents didn't come home.
Brubacher also said that much of the evidence she's seen indicates that the actual numbers are even higher than in the official count.
Brubacher expects to finish her research by the end of September but is still looking for as many homeless people in Burnaby as she can find. Anyone who knows where a homeless person might be staying is asked to contact her at Progressive Housing, 604-522-9669, ext. 317.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Homeless population increasing in area
By Dan Hilborn
Published March 19, 2005
While the final numbers will not be known for another month or more, officials who worked on Tuesday's count of homeless people believe there is a growing number of people living on the streets and in the parks of the Lower Mainland.
"At this point, we believe the numbers are on the rise," said Lynn Wood, executive director of the Burnaby-based Progressive Housing Society.
In Burnaby, about 30 volunteers, including staff from Progressive Housing and members of the Fraser Health Authority's new task force on homelessness, combed the city's parks, bridges and back alleys looking for homeless people.
But, while the numbers across the Lower Mainland appear to be up, the volunteers, who included local church officials, school board employees and MP Peter Julian, found fewer homeless people than anticipated in Burnaby.
"I was kind of surprised that we didn't find as many people as I thought we would," said Jennifer Brubacher, a former mental health worker who will become Burnaby's new homeless outreach worker on April 1. "I usually see a few (homeless people) during the day when I'm driving around Burnaby.
"But, on the day of the count, it seemed there weren't as many people around."
The count is a semiannual project coordinated by the Greater Vancouver Regional District and conducted under the auspices of the Social Planning and Research Council of B.C.
Michael Goldberg, the council's research director, said one of the most heartening aspects of this year's count was the fact that the number of volunteers was up substantially from the previous count.
"Our goal was to try and get 100 volunteers, which would have been double the number we had in 2002. We ended up with over 300 people who helped on this count, and that meant we were able to start earlier in the morning," he said.
Among the volunteers were majors Don and Elizabeth Grad, pastors of the Salvation Army Metrotown Citadel.
"We just seek to be helpful as the needs present themselves," said Don.
In addition to their work with the count, the Grads have sponsored a regular Monday night food program for several years in which they deliver soup and sandwiches to locations in South
Burnaby where homeless people congregate.
But the pastor did not want to speculate whether the state of homelessness is an increasing problem in Burnaby.
"That's a rather politically loaded question," he said. "I think Burnaby, like any city, has homeless people, but I don't have any hard facts, per se. ... I couldn't say if it's better, worse or the same. The poor will always be around us."
But Wood suspects that the lower than expected preliminary numbers in Burnaby may be the result of a "migration" of homeless people into Vancouver.
"We had nests pointed out to us, and we visited them, but people didn't present at those locations," said Wood, noting that 'nests' was a term used by police during a Feb. 23 public safety meeting in the Edmonds area to describe any outdoor location where a homeless person can make a safe place for themselves out of public view.
But while the 'nests' were mostly empty, Wood and her team did find evidence of homelessness in Burnaby.
"The preliminary figures we have show at least as many homeless people as in the previous count," she said.
Those numbers will likely rise when officials tally up the number of people found in other communities who list Burnaby as their real home, Wood said.
"If someone comes forward at a New West shelter and says that they're from Burnaby, that will be counted."
Dr. Nadine Loewen, the Fraser Health Authority's medical health officer for Fraser North, and co-chair of the new Burnaby task force on homelessness, said her group is looking forward to the final tally so they can incorporate that information into their work.
The task force, which was struck by the health authority in December in response to calls from Wood and others for a homeless shelter in Burnaby, is currently working on its terms of reference.
"The task force is open to agencies that are wanting to participate," said Loewen. "One of the things the group wants to do is make sure all the information on the situation has been gathered and analyzed, then we'll look at the needs and gaps."
Published March 19, 2005
While the final numbers will not be known for another month or more, officials who worked on Tuesday's count of homeless people believe there is a growing number of people living on the streets and in the parks of the Lower Mainland.
"At this point, we believe the numbers are on the rise," said Lynn Wood, executive director of the Burnaby-based Progressive Housing Society.
In Burnaby, about 30 volunteers, including staff from Progressive Housing and members of the Fraser Health Authority's new task force on homelessness, combed the city's parks, bridges and back alleys looking for homeless people.
But, while the numbers across the Lower Mainland appear to be up, the volunteers, who included local church officials, school board employees and MP Peter Julian, found fewer homeless people than anticipated in Burnaby.
"I was kind of surprised that we didn't find as many people as I thought we would," said Jennifer Brubacher, a former mental health worker who will become Burnaby's new homeless outreach worker on April 1. "I usually see a few (homeless people) during the day when I'm driving around Burnaby.
"But, on the day of the count, it seemed there weren't as many people around."
The count is a semiannual project coordinated by the Greater Vancouver Regional District and conducted under the auspices of the Social Planning and Research Council of B.C.
Michael Goldberg, the council's research director, said one of the most heartening aspects of this year's count was the fact that the number of volunteers was up substantially from the previous count.
"Our goal was to try and get 100 volunteers, which would have been double the number we had in 2002. We ended up with over 300 people who helped on this count, and that meant we were able to start earlier in the morning," he said.
Among the volunteers were majors Don and Elizabeth Grad, pastors of the Salvation Army Metrotown Citadel.
"We just seek to be helpful as the needs present themselves," said Don.
In addition to their work with the count, the Grads have sponsored a regular Monday night food program for several years in which they deliver soup and sandwiches to locations in South
Burnaby where homeless people congregate.
But the pastor did not want to speculate whether the state of homelessness is an increasing problem in Burnaby.
"That's a rather politically loaded question," he said. "I think Burnaby, like any city, has homeless people, but I don't have any hard facts, per se. ... I couldn't say if it's better, worse or the same. The poor will always be around us."
But Wood suspects that the lower than expected preliminary numbers in Burnaby may be the result of a "migration" of homeless people into Vancouver.
"We had nests pointed out to us, and we visited them, but people didn't present at those locations," said Wood, noting that 'nests' was a term used by police during a Feb. 23 public safety meeting in the Edmonds area to describe any outdoor location where a homeless person can make a safe place for themselves out of public view.
But while the 'nests' were mostly empty, Wood and her team did find evidence of homelessness in Burnaby.
"The preliminary figures we have show at least as many homeless people as in the previous count," she said.
Those numbers will likely rise when officials tally up the number of people found in other communities who list Burnaby as their real home, Wood said.
"If someone comes forward at a New West shelter and says that they're from Burnaby, that will be counted."
Dr. Nadine Loewen, the Fraser Health Authority's medical health officer for Fraser North, and co-chair of the new Burnaby task force on homelessness, said her group is looking forward to the final tally so they can incorporate that information into their work.
The task force, which was struck by the health authority in December in response to calls from Wood and others for a homeless shelter in Burnaby, is currently working on its terms of reference.
"The task force is open to agencies that are wanting to participate," said Loewen. "One of the things the group wants to do is make sure all the information on the situation has been gathered and analyzed, then we'll look at the needs and gaps."
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