Press Release - Panel on citizens experiencing housing challenges

Press Release provided by the Character Abbotsford Board of Directors
Wednesday, December 22, 2021

The Character Abbotsford Council hosted a panel this fall to discuss the citizens in our community who are experiencing housing challenges. The panel consisted of the following:

Megan Capp

- Manager of Social Justice, Seniors, and Housing at Archway

Kevin Murray

- Professional Standards Section with the Abbotsford Police Department

Ross Siemens

- Councillor with the City of Abbotsford

Mike Sikora

- Housing, Homelessness, and Community Development Specialist with the City of Abbotsford

Character Abbotsford board members presented the panelists with a number of questions including the following:

• How many people are living in Abbotsford without housing?

• How many have grown up here and how many have moved here?

• Which organizations are directly helping?

• What challenges are these organizations facing?

• What can Abbotsford citizens do to to safely help?

• What are the plans for housing people?

The council learned that as of the last point-in-time survey, there are approximately 330 people living in Abbotsford without housing; this number may be higher now, something that will be confirmed in the next survey planned for 2022. Of these, 227 are male, and 34% are Aboriginal. In an additional survey where 197 individuals participated, 36% indicated that they have always lived in Abbotsford with an additional 20% indicating that they have lived here for 6 or more years. There are upwards of 17 organizations working to help the people living on the streets of Abbotsford in a largely coordinated effort.

The council had discussed that there is a tension for Abbotsford citizens who want to help but aren’t sure how to do that safely. A concern was expressed that we could become a community that learns to ignore the obvious needs in front of us as we drive through town to conduct the business of our lives. A pointed comment included the statement: “Who are we becoming if we learn to ignore people with need and perhaps even more concerning, what are our children learning as they watch us drive by our neighbours in need as we simply ignore them?”

The panelists were united in saying that citizens who stop to offer money or other resources may not actually be helping. Panelists were consistent in their assessment that the best way to help is to support the organizations that are engaged with the people; they know their individual needs and are working to help them discover health in every aspect of life. Providing money or other resources may actually harm the individual in the long-run.

So what can Abbotsford citizens do to help? The council learned that keeping an open mind and being mindful of our own biases towards people experiencing housing challenges is a critical first step. Contributing financially to an organization that addresses a need is another step in helping. Instead of wanting to help in a way that pleases us, we ought to help where the need is. One-off actions of help are not actually beneficial in the long term. For example, stopping the car to hand out donuts may feel good to us, but in absence of understanding the complexity of issues that a person is dealing with, we may be significantly harming an individual that is dealing with diabetes. Another example of ‘harmful help’ can happen when people drop off furniture to those living on the streets or under bridges. This can create another problem as cast-off furniture now becomes the problem of the people who are living where it was dropped off and those passing by will accuse these individuals of ‘collecting junk’.

Going forward, there are plans to increase the beds available in Abbotsford, continued support drop-in centres, considerations underway for adding 24/7 care, and provide daytime space for the many people who don’t have a place to go during the day.

It was extremely clear that our panelists are deeply passionate advocates for the people who they are serving. Their empathetic spirit was evident to all and a source of great inspiration for the Character Abbotsford Council. There was also a sense of optimism for the future which was extremely encouraging.

Character Abbotsford is planning to meet with a number of the organizations that are directly involved with this effort in the New Year to explore first hand the impact homelessness has on individuals in our community. The council will also consider the possibility of providing Abbotsford with a singular way to donate support for individuals being affected by homelessness. Following the Character In Action Awards in the spring of 2022, the council plans to host a conference in the fall of 2022 to further explore the challenges related to our citizens experiencing housing challenges in Abbotsford.

For more information, visit characterabbotsford.com and follow @characterabby

Character Abbotsford Board of Directors

Shelly Avram, Vice Chair

Sir James Barlow

Christine Bomhof

Vijay Manuel, Chair

Wendy Neufeld

Bev Olfert, Treasurer

Linda Pollastretti

Jory Smallenberg, Secretary