Homelessness in Langley: a more complete picture. Final data from March 2020 homelessness count available.

In August, I posted about the preliminary data from the 2020 Homeless Count in Metro Vancouver. The final data report has been released.

The preliminary numbers have not changed. The top three communities where people are experiencing homelessness are Vancouver (2,095), Surrey (644), and Langley (209), representing 80% of the people counted.

In Langley, there was a marked increase in people experiencing homelessness between 2014 and 2017. However, it appears that the number of people experiencing homelessness had stabilized when the count was completed in March.

The economic impact of the COVID-19 likely means an increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness.

The final data report provides a more complete picture of people experiencing homelessness in Metro Vancouver and Langley.

Around 50% of people experiencing homeless in Langley are not in shelters. These people stayed outside, in vacant buildings, in vehicles, or were couch-surfing. In 2017, 79 people were unsheltered in Langley. There were 108 people unsheltered on March 4, 2020.

Due to systemic racism, Indigenous people are overrepresented in the population of people experiencing homelessness. In Langley, 24% of people who were counted in March were Indigenous.

Homelessness also knows no age. In Langley, the age of people experiencing homelessness is as shown in the interactive pie chart.

Youth is under 25 years of age. Adults are 25-54, and Seniors are 55 and older.

In Langley, the Gateway of Hope (The Salvation Army) and Ishtar Transition Housing Society provide shelter spaces. Langley includes both the City and Township.

Supportive housing is considered permanent housing.

Because the Homeless Count is a point-in-time count, the number of people experiencing homelessness is likely higher. For example, most people who are living with friends or couch-surfing will not be counted. Also, volunteers will not be able to cover every corner of a community or enter vacant buildings.

What this report does show are overall trends. In Langley, we still have more work to do as over 50% of people experiencing homelessness are not sheltered. I know that our shelter spaces are maxed out, as is supportive housing to transition people toward independent living. There is much work left to be done in Langley.

November 23 Council Meeting Notes: Recreation Update, New Bylaw Ticketing System, and Motion to Stop Nuclear Weapons

This week, I posted about a rezoning bylaw to accommodate a 6-storey, 213-unit rental apartment at the former West Country Hotel site. I also posted about Langley City’s new Asset Management Policy. Today, I will cover the remaining items that were addressed at Monday night’s council meeting.

Council gave final reading to amend the Financial Plan for 2020-24 after receiving no public input on the amendment. It is common to amend the financial plan throughout the year, as projects and revenue sources can change. For more information, please read the staff report.

The Director of Recreation, Culture and Community Services, Kim Hilton, provided Council with an update on recreation services. With the dynamic nature of public health orders, Langley City’s recreation services are still available, but limited. For current information about what recreation services are available, please visit the City’s COVID-19 Updates page.

She also noted that the City would be launching a social media Countdown to Christmas, so be sure to check out the City’s Facebook, Insta, and Twitter starting in December.

As a housekeeping item, Langley City is moving from our current bylaw enforcement system, managed under the “Municipal Ticketing Information System” to the streamlined “Local Government Bylaw Notice Enforcement Act.”

The streamlined system means that people no longer have to go to court over minor bylaw contraventions. Suppose someone wants to dispute a bylaw enforcement ticket, such as a parking ticket. Under the new system, they will be able to go through an adjudication process. This new system is fair and straightforward for people who want to dispute a ticket and cost-effective for the City as it no longer involves going to provincial court.

Council requested “the Ministry of Attorney General to add the City of Langley to the Bylaw Notice Enforcement Regulation to allow for the City to practice adjudication under the Local Government Bylaw Notice Enforcement Act.”

On November 2, Council received a delegation from people representing the World Beyond War. As a result, Councillor Storteboom put forward a motion “that Langley City supports the Mayors For Peace Appeal and send a letter to the Government of Canada to break the unacceptable status quo regarding a tolerant nuclear weapons policy by taking decisive steps toward the global elimination of nuclear weapons of war.”

Council approved this motion on Monday.

While it has been well reported, Council officially released the appointment results to the Metro Vancouver Regional District Board and Fraser Valley Regional Library Board. All members of Council can put their name forward to serve on these paid boards. Every year, Council votes on who will serve for a one-year term. This year, the appointments are as follows:

Metro Vancouver Board Primary: Gayle Martin
Metro Vancouver Board Alternate: Paul Albrecht
Fraser Valley Regional Library Board Primary: Gayle Martin
Fraser Valley Regional Library Board Alternative: Rosemary Wallace

November 23 Council Meeting: The unsexy but necessary Asset Management Policy

Talking about asset management policies and programs would likely work as an effective sleeping aid to most people. For municipalities, asset management is essential to ensure that we keep our infrastructure well maintained for the least amount of money over each infrastructure component's whole life.

Langley City maintains water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer lines. The City also maintains roads, sidewalks, pathways, streetlights, street signs, bus stops, and traffic lights. The City maintains parks, playgrounds, pools, and culverts. The City looks after community centres, city hall, a fire hall, an operations centre, and fleet vehicles and machinery. The City is also responsible for digital infrastructure.

This City has been maintaining infrastructure with traditional methods for many years. City staff are now working on a modern asset management program with more advanced policies than traditional infrastructure maintenance programs.

Take installing a water main. In the past, the City might have purchased the cheapest water mains using the lowest cost method to install. Because of this choice, the pipe might only have a useful life of 50 years. The installation method might have been the cheapest, but it could result in the pipe being more susceptible to future damage. This means that while the initial cost of the pipe was cheap, there are higher on-going costs.

Modern asset management would call for buying a pipe that lasts for 100 years and spending more money on the initial installation to reduce future damage. While the initial cost of the pipe was higher, the on-going cost would be lower. Unlike the 50 year pipe, it would also not need to be replaced in 50 years, ensuring a lower total lifecycle cost.

This is just a simple example of one part of a modern asset management program.

City council adopted a formal Asset Management Policy on Monday. This policy aligns all municipal departments towards modern asset management practices.

The City has been working towards a modern asset management program for many years. One of the first steps in a modern program is to identify all your assets, including their condition.

To date, the City staff have inspected:
Storm sewer mains: 31km of 82km (38%)
Sanitary sewer mains: 70km of 94km (75%)
Water mains: 0km of 101km
Pavement: 112km (100%)
Vehicle Bridges: 7 (100%)
Pedestrian Bridges: 10 of 16 (63%)
Buildings: 0 of 25
Parks: 0 of 26
Vehicle Fleet: 0 of 102

A modern asset management program is on-going. It will help improve decision-making to ensure that the City is maintaining assets with the lowest total life costs.

November 23 Council Meeting: West Country Hotel proposed redevelopment to include below-market rental and expanded Michaud Park

Early this year, the West Country Hotel shut its doors for good. On Monday night, Langley City council gave first and second reading to a zoning bylaw to accommodate a 6-storey, 213-unit rental apartment in its place. There are several items of note for this proposed redevelopment.

Rendering of the proposed project looking from 56th Avenue (20222 56 Avenue). Select image to enlarge.

If approved by council, the developer will build a through-lane that connects 56th Avenue to Michaud Crescent. This lane will travel along the eastern side of the property. This lane will run along a City easement, which will ensure that this lane will be open into the foreseeable future for the public to walk, cycle, or drive.

Rendering of the proposed project’s new public lane. Select image to enlarge.

Because this new lane will require the gravel path on the Michaud Community Park’s east side, the project’s proponent will undertake a land exchange if this development proposal is approved. This land exchange will allow 11 new community garden plots to be created at Michaud Park for a total of 29 plots.

Rendering of the proposed project looking from Michaud Crescent (20237 Michaud Crescent) including community garden expansion. Select image to enlarge.

This project’s proponent is also applying to the CMHC as part of the Federal Rental Housing Construction Financial Program. If council approves this project, at least 20 percent of the proposed units will be below-market rents. These rents will be set at 30% of the median income in Metro Vancouver.

A housing agreement may be created between the City and the project’s proponent to ensure that these units remain affordable over time.

This proposed project will have 142 one-bedroom units, 65 two-bedroom units, and six studio units. These units include accessible (10% of total units), adaptable (2% of total units), and universal design units (1% of total units).

EV charging stations within the underground parking is part of the proposed design.

The next step will be a public hearing for people to provide feedback on this proposed development.