Push to expand two shelters for Vancouver’s homeless
Posted July 24, 2012 8:15 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – They’re among the most vulnerable. Not everyone has a roof over their heads and the City of Vancouver wants to change that.
Council will look at two reports that recommend grants to build and expand permanent homeless shelters.
Right now, the Powell Place Shelter has 26 beds, but if a $500,000 grant is approved by council, it could end up with 52 spaces.
Lanna Many Grey Horses with the shelter says homeless women don’t have safe places to choose from.
“Sometimes they’re out in the street, in unsafe situations — couch surfing, living with family and creating some not so good dynamics,” she stresses.
Lanna adds sometimes the women are forced to make “not-so-great choices” just to have a roof over their head.
“What we call ‘survival sex.’ Sometimes they’ll exchange a place to stay for sex. That’s one option.”
The city says, although the overall number of homeless people has declined since 2010, the number of homeless women is up four per cent.
Council is also looking at another report that would give $100,000 in grant money to the Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society to build a shelter at 946th and 950th Main Street. This shelter would become the permanent location for the Aboriginal HEAT shelter.
