WHEREAS there has been an increase of visible homelessness in Kingsville;
AND WHEREAS there has likely been an increase in "hidden" homelessness including couch surfing, sleeping in vehicles, and people staying in unsafe living conditions;
AND WHEREAS the pandemic has revealed pre-existing problems and worsened others such as rising rent, addictions, lack of diverse housing, heightened mental health demands, and transportation barriers in rural areas like Kingsville;
AND WHEREAS this is a complex social issue and local/regional supports are limited and clearly not providing an effective solution;
AND WHEREAS this problem is likely to continue to grow, bringing increased human suffering as well as economic and safety concerns.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Council:
- Direct the CAO to organize a Homelessness Working Group consisting of representatives from the municipality, local agencies, businesses, service groups, and those with lived experience to gather information about the current local situation, conduct a review of existing services, research best practices, and come up with recommendations to reduce the impact of homelessness on our community, and on the individuals in our community that are experiencing homelessness; and
- Allocate $15,000 from COVID Relief Funds to be used to hire a part-time employee on a 6-month contract to lead the Homelessness Working Group on the above initiative.