A request by frontline companies for higher leniency in regards to the location of homeless encampments didn’t sway most members of metropolis council.
On Tuesday, the Strategic Priorities and Coverage Committee voted 10-5 in opposition to a request by the Complete of Group Response to Homelessness that may have lowered the minimal setback distance between tents and residential property traces to 25 metres.
As a substitute, the encampment technique permitted by metropolis council earlier this yr will keep a minimal 100 metre setback.
Greg Nash of London InterCommunity Well being Centre instructed SPPC, “(100 metres) only leaves 18 per cent of public spaces within London remaining available based on the current buffers.”
However a number of householders within the public gallery urged the council members to keep up the present rule.
“Reducing that distance is just going to exacerbate the problem rather than solve anything for the residents,” John Herb instructed the committee.
Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis mentioned he has heard the considerations of his constituents in Ward 2, “They should be able to go in their backyard and not feel at risk because of what’s going on in the park immediately behind their backyard.”
Lewis including that the wants of the homeless have to be balanced in opposition to the security considerations of residents, “There does have to be a balance in how we approach this, because the residents of those homes have rights, too. And that, I think, has been largely overshadowed in the Whole of Community Response.”
Council will contemplate finalizing the committee advice on Nov. 5.
