Not all residents sold on tiny homes location in Barton Village

A handful of residents from the Gibson and Stipley neighbourhoods are raising concerns surrounding the temporary site slated to host Hamilton's first-ever village of tiny homes meant to shelter people from the streets.

As reported by The Spectator on Wednesday, the Hamilton Alliance for Tiny Shelters (HATS) officially announced Friday morning that they had secured a temporary site - currently a vacant parking lot - located at 647 Barton St. E.

The site, located at the corner of Barton and Earl streets, is owned by local architect Bill Curran. Plans for a four-storey commercial-residential structure at the site were unveiled back in August - yet the development is a long ways away from fruition.

For the time being, HATS is planning to call the lot home for approximately two years, after which they'll be on the hunt for a new location.

During a presentation made to reporters Friday, members of the organization provided new insight into the project, including what the site will look like, what safety measures will be taken and how residents will be selected.

Current plans will see the site house around 10 tiny shelters, a common-use building, a cabin for administration, a kitchen building, as well as a washroom and shower facility.

HATS president Julia Kollek said the lot will have lighting, fencing, security cameras, trained security personnel, 24-7 staffing and routine attendance from workers with the city's social navigator program.

Residents joining the program will also undergo an intake process that includes an interview and involves a signed agreement. The goal is that the residents will eventually move on to permanent and secure housing elsewhere.

While no rollout date has been set - the organization still needs to secure adequate funding - it is already facing some resistance from those living in the area, noted Kollek.

Earl Street resident John Nancekivell told The Spectator he has no problem" with the project and supports the idea of helping unhoused residents, noting that HATS has their hearts in the right place."

However, Nancekivell disagrees with the location of the site.

Nancekivell said his children walk past the parking lot every day to get on the bus for school and frequently witness drug-use and sex work in the neighbourhood.

They've seen enough already," said Nancekivell. They don't need another obstacle in their way while they get themselves to school."

Lottridge Street resident Meghan Gracey raised concerns surrounding the economic livelihood" of the area to The Spectator, questioning how the site's presence could affect local businesses.

These small businesses are owned by people in the neighbourhood," said her husband, Scott Gervais. These people take care of their families based on those incomes ... it's food on the table."

Gracey said the ward is oversaturated" with social services, pointing to a proposed safe injection site at Barton and Barnsdale, as well as the move of the Mission Services men's shelter to King and Victoria.

All three of the residents said consultation with residents of the area should have happened first, as opposed to the community information sessions HATS hosted on Thursday after notices had gone out in the area.

The decision had already been made without talking to any of us first," said Gracey.

While there was an awful lot" of support from people in the area, Kollek noted that the neighbours have legitimate concerns."

We feel for them," said Kollek. It's just unfortunate that these services are all arriving ... within a short space of each other."

Tom Cooper, a member of the HATS steering committee, said while the organization recognizes that the neighbourhood has had challenges," he pointed to the aim of the initiative.

We think this project has an opportunity to really stabilize the lives of some people who are already experiencing homelessness in that area," said Cooper. We may be able to create a situation that is far better over the coming months."

Fallon Hewitt is a reporter at The Spectator. fhewitt@thespec.com