There have always been people experiencing homelessness in our community, with the biggest jump occurring between 2014 and 2017. Over the years, Langley City Council has been advocating for increased provincial resourcing to help people experiencing homelessness who often have mental health challenges and problematic substance-use. Homelessness is a chronic challenge throughout BC. While our goal should be to help everyone, practically, that will take decades. We do have to start somewhere.
This summer, I got to know by name two people in our community who are experiencing homelessness with complex needs, as they were generating many requests from the community to take action. It seemed to me that if these two people had received help and housing, they and our whole community would have a significantly improved outlook. I reached out to the Officer in Charge of the Langley RCMP Detachment and asked for general data around calls for service they attend for people experiencing homelessness in our community.
Over a one-year period, one person with complex needs who is experiencing homelessness generated approximately 130 calls for service, including multiple arrests and time in and out of custody. The next four people averaged 100 direct or indirect Langley RCMP contacts within the same period.
If these five people received proper, mandatory supports, it would improve their and community outcomes, plus significantly reduce the strain on our first responders, criminal justice system, and emergency health care services.
With that in mind, Langley City Council approved me to write a letter to the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General asking them to meet to talk about what actions they can take over the next year in Langley City to improve outcomes for this smaller group of people experiencing homelessness who are overrepresented in police contacts.
At the same Monday meeting, Council also approved a motion to update our end of year reporting to more clearly show staffing vacancies and how it impacts end of year budget surpluses.
In December, Council provided feedback to City staff on an updated community grant policy. Annually, the City provides up to $168,000 in community grants to nonprofit and neighborhood groups, funded by casino revenue. Council adopted this new policy on Monday. You can read more in the previous post. As part of the updated policy, Council increased the annual grant to the Langley Senior Resources Society to $20,000, to be used to subsidize the membership package for low-income seniors living in Langley City and to support the upkeep of their facility in the City.
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