BC government outlines fixes for problematic supportive housing

BC government outlines fixes for problematic Metro Vancouver supportive housing

Temporary modular supportive housing at 22534-22556 Royal Crescent, Maple Ridge. (Google Maps)

After receiving reports of serious issues with a temporary modular supportive housing site in Maple Ridge, the provincial government commissioned an independent review in March 2022 of the facility’s operations in order to identify the issues and solutions.

Earlier this week, the independent review’s findings of the 2018-built, 53-unit supportive housing facility at 22534-22556 Royal Crescent were released, and it deemed the facility operated is not designed to be long-term supportive housing, with its occupants also facing complex issues related to addictions and mental health.

The modular site is operated by Coast Mental Health. Prior to 2018, the large lot was occupied by a single-family house.

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Reports of violent crime — including physical assaults and deaths — and other criminal activity, including incidents spilling out into the wider neighbourhood, have dogged the facility ever since it was built as a temporary emergency solution for individuals experiencing homelessness at a Maple Ridge encampment.

Construction is already approaching completion on a permanent replacement supportive housing building about two blocks to the west on the lot of 11685-11695 Fraser Street and 11686 224th Street. The new four-storey building will provide 52 units upon opening in early 2024.

Plans for the permanent supportive housing to replace the modular units were already underway when David Eby — then the BC Attorney General and minister responsible for housing — ordered the review.

11685-11695 Fraser Street 11686 224th Street Maple Ridge permanent supportive housing f

Artistic rendering of the permanent supportive housing at 11685-11695 Fraser Street and 11686 224th Street, Maple Ridge, replacing the temporary modular supportive housing at 22534-22556 Royal Crescent. (Google Maps)

“While the decision to replace this housing occurred prior to the government review, the space created by the review process, and the report recommendations, have created more transparency around the challenges faced by many non-profit housing providers,” said Anil Singh, board chair of Coast Mental Health, in a statement in reaction to the review’s findings.

“We now look forward to working with BC Housing to establish action plans and timelines to address the housing and healthcare needs of vulnerable populations living in Maple Ridge.”

When the Fraser Street/24th Street building opens, the modular structures on Royal Crescent will be removed. BC Housing already has plans to redevelop the temporary modular housing site into a permanent six-storey building with 98 units of affordable rental housing for seniors. Construction is expected to begin after 2024.

22534-22556 Royal Crescent Maple Ridge affordable rental housing seniors 2

Artistic rendering of affordable rental housing for seniors at 22534-22556 Royal Crescent, Langley, replacing the temporary modular supportive housing. (BC Housing)

22534-22556 Royal Crescent Maple Ridge affordable rental housing seniors 1

Artistic rendering of affordable rental housing for seniors at 22534-22556 Royal Crescent, Langley, replacing the temporary modular supportive housing. (BC Housing)

“BC Housing is committed to addressing the recommendations to ensure that residents are getting the services they need to improve their lives in a safe and secure environment,” said Ravi Kahlon, minister of housing, in a statement.

“We’re replacing Royal Crescent, have already taken action to improve safety and health supports at all three supportive housing sites in Maple Ridge, and are actively working with partners to find more opportunities to strengthen the delivery of supportive housing in the community.”

The independent review was later expanded to investigate and provide recommendations for all three of Coastal Mental Health’s supportive housing facilities in Maple Ridge — not just Royal Crescent, but also the 51 units at 11749 Burnett Street at Garibaldi Ridge and 46 units at 22207 Brown Avenue at Alouette Heights.

The report provided dozens of recommendations for improved and effective supportive housing operations — addressing a wide range of issues and gaps — for all stakeholders involved, including for Coast Mental Health and BC Housing.

For Coast Mental Health, the independent review states the operator needs to improve its security measures in the buildings to ensure there is controlled access to the buildings and that banned individuals are not gaining entry. Furthermore, the rules for banning visitors from the buildings should be fairly and consistently applied within each building and across their buildings.

Family members and caregivers of supportive housing residents should have an opportunity to view the tenancy or program agreement to understand the responsibilities, and the scope of services and supports provided. The programs should also allow for individuals to extend the agreement based on their circumstances, such as ongoing complex physical and/or mental health issues.

At the same time, evictions when warranted should be carried out in a fair and timely manner, and there should be greater timely communication and transparency when a death has occurred in a building.

“Some service providers are apprehensive about referring clients to Royal Crescent and Garibaldi Ridge as they are aware of the deaths that occurred at those sites and question whether the sites are safe environments for their clients. Some service providers noted that they purposely avoid referring certain clients to Royal Crescent or Garibaldi Ridge given their vulnerable condition and the risk of being exposed to individuals who are actively using drugs and/or have serious behaviour issues,” reads the independent review’s findings.

“Service providers also know of some homeless individuals who are aware of the active drug use at Royal Crescent and Garibaldi Ridge and are not interested in pursuing residency at these sites as they are trying to limit or avoid exposure to environments where drugs are being used.”

The operator should also ensure their supportive housing staff are adequately trained and receive supplemental ongoing training, and implement measures that reduce staff turnover and improve staff continuity. Psychiatric care should also be expanded across all three supportive housing locations, and poor ventilation issues in buildings should be addressed.

The provincial government notes that ahead of the report’s release, it has already worked with the operator to repair perimeter fencing and add security fencing to better prevent unauthorized entry, add nursing hours seven days a week, increase wellness checks for residents from every 48 hours to at least every 24 hours, and add a van for transporting residents to medical appointments and support services.

22534-22556 Royal Crescent Maple Ridge temporary modular housing

Temporary modular supportive housing at 22534-22556 Royal Crescent, Maple Ridge. (Google Maps)

22534-22556 Royal Crescent Maple Ridge temporary modular housing f

Temporary modular supportive housing at 22534-22556 Royal Crescent, Maple Ridge. (Google Maps)

11749 Burnett Street Maple Ridge Garibaldi Ridge Supportive Housing

Garibaldi Ridge supportive housing at 11749 Burnett Street, Maple Ridge. (Google Maps)

22207 Brown Avenue Maple Ridge Alouette Heights Supportive Housing

Alouette Heights supportive housing at 22207 Brown Avenue, Maple Ridge. (Google Maps)

On the part of BC Housing, the independent review states the crown corporation’s operating agreements with housing operators should identify the types of security and safety measures that need to be in place within the building and on the perimeter of the site. The agreements should establish the clear responsibilities of the operator in working with community stakeholders to address safety and security concerns in the immediate area where supportive housing sites are located.

“Neighbours are frustrated and angry about the impact on the local community (e.g., discarded garbage and drug paraphernalia, people loitering and sleeping on the sidewalks or on private property, people exhibiting disruptive and aggressive behaviour, people using drugs and overdosing, impact on property values),” reads the report.

“Negative attitudes appear to be primarily directed at Royal Crescent and Garibaldi Ridge and residents from these sites confirmed that they do not like going out into the community because they frequently face discrimination and they feel they are being constantly judged and profiled. Some residents at Alouette Heights have also had these negative experiences in their neighbourhood. Coast Mental Health was considering placing a logo on the Clean Team van but ultimately decided against this to reduce the risk of residents being harassed.”

The report also details how a healthcare provider who regularly visits the sites shared that they stopped wearing any identification from their service agency to “avoid encounters with people in these neighbourhoods who have accused them of enabling drug behaviour. It was suggested that the public attitude in the Royal Crescent area is especially bad and they do not feel welcomed when in the area.”

The review recommends BC Housing’s operating agreements should provide “a fuller definition of what encompasses an overdose protection site (harm reduction room) in the context of supportive housing.”

Moreover, as part of the contracts, the provincial government through BC Housing needs to provide adequate levels of funding to ensure operators provide the required level and types of services and support for the complex care that residents need, including funding for health professionals to work on-site and provide regularly scheduled services each week for all sites.

Since early 2022, the provincial government has been progressively rolling out its complex care model of housing, which is essentially the supportive housing model greatly enhanced with a high level of supports for residents. Complex care housing sites are found as standalone locations or within a portion of the units within a supportive housing building.

The provincial government notes that BC Housing has already made changes to how individuals transition out of encampments and into supportive housing to better ensure the safety and well-being of the individuals who are housed and to balance tenant needs at each site.

In Summer 2018, in a community bulletin, Coast Mental Health indicated it had implemented measures to address early issues from the Alouette Heights supportive housing site, after a year of taking over the building’s operations. At the time, it reported the installation of buzzers, cameras, and entrance security resolved the issue of “an excess of unauthorized guests,” and that there was a decrease in police calls and other emergency services and an 18% drop in incidents.

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