Some rooms are offered to homeless people, but only if they show symptoms of COVID-19

Activists call for more housing to allow homeless people to follow safety measures

A group of homeless people, supporters set up squat at Vancouver elementary school to stay safe during the pandemic

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — A number of homeless people in the Downtown Eastside have occupied an empty part of Lord Strathcona Elementary School to protect themselves from COVID-19.

The people organizing the squat say if they’re living together in the makeshift home, at least they can stop overdose deaths and have enough space to self-isolate.

And they say they’re not leaving until proper housing is made available to them during the pandemic.

Just spoke to 2 activists describing the situation at Vancouver’s Strathcona elementary – where squatters have taken over an abandoned wing @NEWS1130 — Renee Bernard (@Renee1130) April 19, 2020



Activists say while at least 10,000 hotel rooms sit empty, they should be made available to the homeless so they have the same opportunity to keep themselves safe.

According to BC Housing, 367 beds have been offered at six different sites.That includes 64 beds at Coal Harbour Community Centre and 79 beds the Roundhouse Community Centre.

Fiona York is with the Carnegie Community Action Project and says that’s not enough.

“It’s a tiny percentage. It works out to about five per cent of people who are homeless,” she explains.

York also takes issue with how the rooms are being offered up to people since they are only available under specific circumstances.

BC Housing says the beds are for a range of people, including the homeless and youth. But it also points out some hotel suites are for people who’ve already been diagnosed with COVID-19.

York says we shouldn’t be waiting for people to get sick to get them housing.

“If you wait for people to show symptoms, it could be too late for many others around them,” she says.

Since the province has declared a state of emergency, York says more powers could be exercised to make more housing available.

Flora Munroe, who also advocates for folks in the neighbourhood, says people who don’t have to access washrooms, running water, and a warm place to sleep at night are not equipped to ward off the infection.

“It’s like putting the homeless people more in danger now, more than ever,” she argues.

Munroe points out it’s impossible for homeless people to be able to take the necessary precautions like physical distancing and proper hygiene.

Over the past month, BC Housing and the City of Vancouver say they have been trying to secure hotel rooms for the homeless, to help them self-isolate and avoid an outbreak of COVID-19 on the Downtown Eastside.

BC Housing says it is in contract negotiations with a number of additional hotels and community spaces and those arrangements will be made public in the next days and weeks.

Meantime, the housing agency has secured temporary spaces around the province. In Surrey, 110 beds are available at the North Surrey Recreation Centre and in Vernon there are 70 beds set up at the Vernon Curling Club. One hundred and sixty spaces are being offered in Victoria and seven spaces in Prince George.