Dear Editor:
Re: Homeless Undercounted, Study Finds, Sept. 29 front-page story.
Thank-you for your article highlighting a very important social issue, homelessness across the North Shore.
As stated in the North Shore Homeless Task Force’s study, 736 North Shore children, youth, adults and families experienced homelessness in 2016.
The news article states that “municipalities, which could put up land for affordable housing, or incent developers to build more through density bonusing.”
All three municipalities have stepped up to the homelessness challenge.The City of North Vancouver has led the charge of affordable housing for decades and all three municipalities are actively addressing the issue. As a non-profit society that supports homeless youth, seniors and families to move from homelessness to housing, our success is a direct result of our municipalities’ efforts.
The three municipalities of the North Shore have contributed to program funding, provision of safe houses and transitional housing for seniors and youth, municipally owned units allocated to homeless and at-risk individuals, permissive tax exemptions, introductions to developers that have led to rentals for vulnerable populations and the most costly, land to develop affordable housing.
We are living in unprecedented times and on the North Shore, we are lucky to have three municipalities prepared to do their part to meet the needs of our most vulnerable citizens.
Alan Kwinter
board chair, Hollyburn Family Services Society
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