Halifax councillors weigh in on how to address homelessness in the city

Halifax councillors weigh in on homelessness Halifax councillors are weighing in on how to address the issue of homelessness in the city.

HALIFAX — Halifax councillors are weighing in on how to address the complex issue of homelessness in the city.

And while the need may be urgent, the solutions will take a lot of collaboration.

Mark has spent the last few nights in a shelter. Before that, he was living in a tent on the grounds of the old Halifax Central Library.

"I'll have a bit of time to be able to do searches and things like that and get an apartment or a house," he said.

His encampment was the site of a violent clash between protesters and police Wednesday.

As police and city workers moved in to evict him and others, he stood back and watched the protest unfold.

At times, both sides were aggressive.

"Our side was peaceful until the police broke the circle when they were trying to take away the first shed," said Mark.

Halifax Coun. Pam Lovelace was once homeless herself. She understands the challenges and is shocked by what she saw.

"Just so upset and sick with what we were seeing," she said.

Lovelace wants to focus on solutions to the homeless crisis. Many shelters are full, or people refuse to go there. She wonders if a regulated encampment would work.

"Where it's safe for the occupants as well as being safe for community services workers and field workers to go in. It could be a city-owned property or a provincially-owned property," she said.

Housing support workers have said hotels are full and affordable housing is limited.

Coun. David Hendsbee has an idea.

"Seize this vacant hotel in north end Dartmouth that's sitting idle," he said, referring to the old Futures Inn on Highfield Park Drive.

"We can seize that property--either the municipality or the province-- in regards to utilizing that as an emergency shelter. I think that's something we should investigate."

Mark knows one thing for sure, "you put the right support behind people, they'll achieve," he said.

For him, that means getting back to work doing steel framing and drywall.

"If I can get situated, that's all I want to do, is get situated, get my property secure and I'll be back to work," he said.

Lovelace says she has reached out to Halifax Mutual Aid, the group behind the shelters.

They are considering sitting down with her. But she points out this will take many people and levels of government to solve.

She says we can't just place people in a park without access to wrap-around services.