The City of Victoria is funding a new community space to help connect those without homes to housing and treatment services.
Mayor Marianne Alto announced Friday the city is spending $300,000 to help SOLID Outreach Society buy a property at 2155 Dowler Pl., just north of Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
It’s also contributing up to $1.8 million in operating funding for one year to SOLID, which will own and run the facility.
The goal is to help people living on the street get into housing, said Jack Phillips, executive director of SOLID.
Staff will help connect people to B.C. Housing options and market rental subsidies, as well as drug-treatment programs, and will accompany people to health appointments.
The space will fit about 50 people at a time and food will be available.
It will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The property will be fenced and security will be provided by SOLID.
Alto challenged neighbouring municipalities to similarly provide funds for services to address homelessness and addiction.
The mayor said while housing is not a municipal responsibility, the provincial and federal governments have limited capacity to address the issue, and the city is taking a more active role.
“We can’t continue to wait for someone else to do the job. It’s time now for municipalities to step up,” she said.
