The Chilliwack Homelessness Action Plan is coming together step by laborious step.
Next up is a public engagement session on Tuesday, March 29, starting at 7 p.m. at Evergreen Hall.
"Creating a plan to ensure everyone has the opportunity to be housed requires the participation and support of the community,” said Mayor Sharon Gaetz.
There was broad consultation for the Homelessness Action plan background report, 'Establishing a Comprehensive Community Response System that Helps People Obtain and Retain Safe, Affordable, Appropriate Housing' and now the public is invited to offer feedback on this draft.
The draft report maps out the reasons, challenges, and strategies to tackle homelessness as well as needs, actions and goals for the Chilliwack Homelessness Action Plan.
A group of community agencies and service providers, including input from local homeless, contributed to the plan.
“Our task force has a wide range of participants from a variety of social service organizations whose contributions have been invaluable. Now the team is ready to engage even more members of the community and we hope a diverse group of people will participate on March 29," said Gaetz.
Having an affordable housing strategy, and using the Housing First model, are considered key to getting provincial funding, and that's one of the obstacles to taking concrete steps. They city has put aside $700,000 for a future Housing First development.
“Homelessness is affecting people all across Canada and is bigger than one municipality alone," said Mayor Gaetz.
Here is the city page with a link in green for the plan