Adam Bramburger
Beaver Staff
Prince Edward-Lennox and Addington Social Services (PELASS) is committed to working with local landlords to limit precarious housing in the Napanee area.
At its final regular meeting of the term last night (after press time) Lennox and Addington County council was to receive a staff report from manager of housing services Annette Keogh on emergency shelter services.
In her report, Keogh touched on the situation at Dairy Avenue where, in June, it was learned a impromptu, unconfirming trailer park was established to house otherwise homeless individuals.
Keogh indicated that PELASS was able to support nine households to find more permanent accommodations over the summer, but staff believe at least nine more households are now living at the site.
She noted that Greater Napanee served notice to the owners of the properties involved to remove tenants by Dec. 3 as the trailers do no meet the town’s zoning requirements.
To meet the need for housing in the area, Keogh reported staff has connected with local landlords and found some opportunities for both permanent and transitional housing units.
“Currently, the potential of a number of units exists for Dec. 1, 2018,” she wrote. “It is anticipated that some units will be transitional in nature, whereby a tenant could remain there while they accessed support services and found more permanent housing. Others will be permanent housing.”
Keogh also told council that PELASS will be interviewing to hire staff to work with landlords and tenants to ensure greater chances of housing success. Two temporary full-time positions were posted.
“Tenants will be connected to services and will be provided ongoing support. Landlords will also be supported in situations which may be beyond the landlord-tenant relationship.
According to Keogh, PELASS will co-ordinate access to units offered by landlords. The landlords’ names and addresses of the units will not be shared broadly, but they will be communicated to potential renters who present themselves. Any additional landlords interested in offering their units will be encouraged to contact PELASS.
The units will be managed in a similar way to those offered through PELASS’ rent supplement units. There will be a calculation of rent geared to income and PELASS will pay the balance of the costs. The organization will be using provincial funding allocated through the Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative.
Specifically with respect to the situation at Dairy Avenue, Keogh informed council that PELASS staff are working closely with their colleagues with Greater Napanee in order to stay informed and offer uniform messaging. Councillors were copied on a briefing note provided to Greater Napanee staff Nov. 14.
The note indicated the trailers are “considered precarious shelter and do not adequately meet the health and safety needs of the people being housed” and, also, “the safety of the occupants of the two Dairy Avenue properties is the priority of all agencies involved.”
Keogh also provided council with information on the warming centre, which will be set up at the County Memorial Building through a partnership with the United Way Kingston Frontenac, Lennox and Addington.
The lower-level spaces are to be staffed by volunteers seven nights a week for operation from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. If no one comes in to use the warming centre by 10 p.m. it will be closed with a sign placed on the door with information about assistance.
The centre, which is not intended as a shelter, would allow people to come in from the cold. There will be mats on hand for people to rest and snacks available.
People using the warming centre will be directed to PELASS the following day, where they will receive resource materials to connect them with supports or possible connections to long-term solutions.