Surrey council approved two separate permanent modular housing projects on Monday after three hours of often contentious public comments about the proposals.
The two projects were a six-storey, 63-unit building on 104 Ave. in the Guildford area and a three-storey, 38-unit building on King George Blvd.
These projects are part of the British Columbian government’s commitment to the city to build 250 supportive modular homes, following the dismantling of the “Surrey Strip” tent city last year.
"I'm concerned if we don't do something, we're going to see more people on the streets. I implore you to do the right thing. Please vote yes for these housing projects," said Shayne Williams, CEO of Lookout Housing and Health Society, a non-profit organization that will oversee the Guildford project. "These are the services that need to come to this community and are long overdue."
However, most residents spoke against the Guildford apartment, which will be near an existing shelter.
"We're not speaking against this place, if you have people that come in there that aren't drug addicts. When you start putting drug addicts in an area ... these people come into your area, and they terrorize it," said Arnie Evans, who has lived in the area for 60 years and said he has seen a surge in crime since the shelter came in.
Still, the council decided unanimously to approve both projects with little internal debate, according to a CBC report.
"I used to have that same fear, but then I did what people suggested: I went down, and I helped out," said Councillor Steven Pettigrew, who lives within two blocks of the Guildford project. "I talk to homeless people on the street, and they're not scary. They're just people that are just happy to be in a different state ... this is our job as a council, to be able to look after these people and take care of them.”
