While some shopkeepers are concerned about crime in 91大黄鸭鈥檚 downtown, one store owner says she鈥檚 found little to complain about.

Linda Smith has owned and operated The Water Garden Boutique on Ellis Street for the last 20 years. During that time period, she鈥檚 had very little problems with crime and wants to address the fear around the homeless in the downtown area.

鈥淭he area around us has grown up in such an amazing way; we have restaurants, we have fun bars, we have a lot more shopping and along with that there has definitely been a (change). There are more homeless people, and I think there鈥檚 a lot of fear that鈥檚 just unfounded,鈥� Smith said.

Smith said that she鈥檚 had little issues with the city鈥檚 homeless population and pointed out that there have been times where she鈥檚 been extended a helping hand.

RELATED: West 91大黄鸭 homeless out in the cold after shelter runs at max capacity

鈥淚 was out at the dumpster and I had my hands full and it was near an alley and I鈥檓 not afraid to go out there at all, and the guy said 鈥榣et me help you with that,鈥� and opened the lid for me,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e just people and there鈥檚 so much fear and I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 necessarily appropriate.鈥�

Smith鈥檚 shop was broken into eight years ago, but she鈥檚 had little issues otherwise.

鈥淚鈥檝e never been threatened, my staff and I work alone here 90 per cent of the time and (we鈥檝e been) fine,鈥� she said.

She鈥檚 in favour of 91大黄鸭鈥檚 supportive housing project.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of people that need housing, and the first thing we can do to help them is put a roof over their head,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 mean it鈥檚 where we鈥檙e at in our society, we can鈥檛 just push it under the rug and say 鈥檔ot in my backyard.鈥欌��

鈥淔or people to be afraid to come to downtown is going to make matters worse.鈥�

Over the past seven months, the city has been collaborating with BC Housing and non-profits in the community to house 91大黄鸭鈥檚 homeless as part of its Journey Home Housing initiative.

Recently, a new supportive housing project, Heath House, opened on Harvey Avenue North near Leathhead Road which houses 50 formerly homeless people. It is operated by the Canadian Mental Health Association.

READ MORE: 91大黄鸭鈥檚 newest supportive housing project opens

Hearthstone, another housing project located on Commerce Avenue which opened in October, and Heath House are both BC Housing projects.

Another housing initiative, approved by council in January for Agassiz Road, was met with controversy as some residents in the area were concerned about drug use. The project will provide 52 units for homeless people.

In July, Vancouver Career College cut its courses and moved from its location on Pandosy Avenue in January, citing the homeless shelter across the street was causing concern for its students鈥� safety.

However, Lance Kayfish, director of community safety with the City of 91大黄鸭, said work needs to be done to address the stigma around homelessness.

Housing first projects have an advantage over shelters, as they allow individuals to have their own space, which gives them a sense of security and allows them to take pride in something, he said.

It鈥檚 often difficult for people to better themselves in a shelter setting when they鈥檙e concerned about day-to-day activities while battling mental health issues, personal issues or other challenges, Kayfish said.

鈥淗ow does a person who is dealing with opioid addiction that wants to overcome that, how do they start to rise to that challenge when they don鈥檛 even know when they want to brush their teeth in the morning?鈥� he said.

In November, a report was released by retired RCMP Supt. Bill McKinnon, who was asked to look at ways the city could address downtown crime.

The report outlined the Journey Home Housing strategy, as well as other 鈥渜uick fixes鈥� such as more sidewalk cleaning, more garage bins downtown, portable toilets and reviewing the city鈥檚 needle pick-up program.

Repeating a line he used in the past, the former 40-year police officer said the city will not 鈥渁rrest its way out of the problem.鈥�

Kayfish said with the number of shelter beds concentrated in the downtown core, there have been unintended consequences.

RELATED: Nearly 8,000 homeless in B.C., first province-wide count reveals

He said they also haven鈥檛 seen a spike in crime around the Commerce Avenue housing complex, which has 46 units.

The aim of the Journey Home initiative is to have supportive housing units throughout the city, Kayfish said.

鈥淭hings aren鈥檛 perfect, part of the work that needs to be done is building understanding and addressing stigma because somebody is homeless and looks like they鈥檙e homeless doesn鈥檛 mean they鈥檙e threatening,鈥� he said.

There are a number of contributing factors that lead to homelessness in the city, which he pointed out is not a 91大黄鸭-centric concern.

carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .