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Vancouver Connects: November 2023
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| A message from the City Manager
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| It’s no secret that Vancouver has a crisis unfolding regarding homelessness in our community. While the City and our partners have worked to address homelessness, the recent growth in complexity and magnitude of the issues related to homelessness has been significant. Of course, those living outside also face tremendous challenges, which will only compound as the weather turns.
To expand our urgent response to this crisis, I declared a homeless emergency in Vancouver on Friday, Nov. 3, in accordance with Vancouver Municipal Code 2.12.030. City Council ratified the declaration on Monday, Nov. 6.
An emergency declaration allows me to immediately issue emergency orders that provide the speed needed to address the evolving issue of homelessness. Not every action we’ll take requires the declaration, but it will provide the agility and flexibility we need to act quickly as we continue to develop effective outreach-led and enforcement-backed solutions consistent with Vancouver’s track record so far.
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| Following the declaration, I issued two initial emergency orders. The first order will provide increased financial agility. This means having the ability to authorize a streamlined process for accepting donations, accessing financial reserves for budgeting needs, and buying goods and services needed to address homelessness.
The second order allows the City to open or close specific parcels of public land – up to 48 acres in size – to outdoor habitation as needed to address this crisis while ensuring public health and sanitation needs are being addressed. It also requires compliance with the City’s tent and vehicle camping expectations.
Additional emergency orders and actions are anticipated, including plans for targeted outreach, behavioral health response and further alignment of enforcement efforts.
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Snapshot: Our efforts to ease homelessness to date
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Safe Stays and Safe Park The Safe Stay Community and Safe Parking Zone programs transition community members from unsheltered homelessness into housing. The sites provide safe, healthy and humane living conditions and direct access to services. Safe Park opened in 2020 and offers ~60 parking spaces for people living in vehicles. We’ve also opened two supportive Safe Stay Communities since Dec. 2021. Each Safe Stay features 20 shelter units housing up to 40 people and is managed 24/7 by on-site nonprofit organizations. As of Aug. 31, our Safe Stay Communities served a total of 186 people, helped 48 residents gain employment and placed 73 in stable housing. Two more Safe Stay communities are now in progress and expected to open this fall.
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Vancouver's HART Our Homeless Assistance and Resources Team (HART)
works daily to provide compassionate outreach and assistance to unsheltered neighbors and serves as a point of contact for community members seeking information or reporting concerns. As of September, this team conducted 114 encampment clean ups to address public health and sanitation needs, removing more than 1,200 tons of waste/litter. As of Oct. 31, this team has responded to more than 1,000 encampment concerns reported by the community. This represents a more than 270% increase in service requests since 2021.
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 | Courtney Ligman became homeless in 2019. She found support/stability at one of Vancouver's Safe Stay communities, completed training to become a certified nursing assistant and celebrated moving into her own home at Fourth Plain Commons last month.
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Affordable Housing FundThe Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) is another vital resource to address and prevent homelessness. Grants awarded by the fund develop affordable housing capacity, provide rental assistance and offer services to help families remain in their homes. The AHF has supported transformative housing programs, like the new Fourth Plain Community Commons, 2200 Norris Rd., a 106-unit affordable housing and community serving space featuring Vancouver's first commissary kitchen.
In 2016, voters approved a $42 million property tax levy to support AHF projects through 2023. To date, we've supported 1,250 households, construction of 740 affordable homes and 248 shelter beds.
This year, voters renewed the levy to provide $100 million in AHF funding through 2033.
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Help keep neighbors safe, warm this winter
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Winter SheltersEach year, from Nov. 1 though March 30, an interfaith network of local churchs and nonprofit providers open Winter Hospitality Overflow (WHO). The WHO provides a warm place to sleep, a hot shower, a meal and the warmth of a caring community to individuals and families experiencing homelessness during the coldest months of the year. Case managers help guests connect with available resources, other shelter programs, treatment centers, sober housing, employment and even permanent housing. One-time and ongoing community volunteers are essential to this community-driven program.
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| | How to report concerns related to homelessness
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| Community members can use the MyVancouver mobile or dekstop app to report issues to the HART team or ask questions related to homelessness in Vancouver, including non-emergency issues, such as behavioral health concerns, unwanted occupation of property, illegal camping or issues associated with active or abandoned camps. For urgent or life-threatening emergencies, please call 9-1-1.
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