Council to consider new approach to encampments

City officials are proposing a new approach to encampments along with exploring sanctioned" sites where people struggling with homelessness can pitch tents.

The recommendations to council come as tents dot Hamilton's urban landscape - along rail lines, in municipal parks and behind city hall, where dozens of people have hunkered down for months.

The proposed policy shift would allow clusters of up to five tents that must be at least 50 metres from other groups, staff suggest in a report before city politicians May 17.

Other distance restrictions would apply to certain land uses. For instance, tents would have to be at least 50 metres away from a school, playground and daycare centre, or five metres from a transit stop, sidewalk and bridge.

Staff's recommended new approach echoes a previous protocol that had been in place before the past council scrapped it in favour of stepped-up enforcement of bylaws that bar tents in parks and other urban spaces.

But the proposed change, which is rooted in consultations with service providers, coincides with shelters struggling to meet demand for beds and limited housing options to keep people off the street, the report says.

This model makes it the responsibility of encamped individuals to be informed of where they may set up a tent to be in compliance with the protocol."

As well, consultation with service providers consistently recommended several sanctioned sites be identified and implemented," a direction city staff and police support, the report says.

With council's approval, staff would examine how sanctioned encampment sites work elsewhere and seek public input, before presenting options for a Hamilton model and locations.

Regardless, an established approach for tents is needed, in order to have a clear protocol in place for individuals who do not want to go to a sanctioned site" or if they're full," the report notes.

In recent years, encampments have been a lightning rod of debate for city politicians who have responded to complaints from constituents and calls from advocates to not uproot and disperse people in tents who may have no viable housing options.

At the same time, municipal officials have pointed to a lack of senior government funding for affordable housing and support services to help those with complex mental-health and addiction challenges stay off the streets.

Earlier this year, council backed a strategy that dedicates more housing outreach, as well as bylaw, parks and police resources to responses, but at the same time, directed staff to pursue a new human rights-based approach after consulting with agency experts who serve those who are homeless.

Last week, the bylaw division issued 31 voluntary compliance notices" to people hunkered down around Whitehern Historic House and Garden behind city hall, citing increasing health and safety concerns, and complaints over garbage, substance use, fire and propane tanks, and potential risk to the heritage asset."

At the Whitehern encampment, dozens of people remained within their makeshift community in a laneway that runs behind the museum and around its western wall.

Talal Abdulwahid said Wednesday he'd been at the site for about three months, having pitched tents elsewhere in Hamilton in the past.

Having received the notices, Abdulwahid said he and neighbours have discussed a move to another, less exposed piece of land in the north city. That's where we're going to go. We're going to stay there until we find something else."

All the while, housing has been hard to come by, the 50-year-old said, noting he relies on a disability pension. It's very tight for me to be inside any place. If I pay rent, I can't do anything else."

At city hall, Coun. Cameron Kroetsch said he and his colleagues felt blindsided by the notices, having not been notified of them beforehand by staff. It's been really difficult because we didn't know this was happening."

Moreover, the lack of compliance dates on the notices also creates a lot of confusion" for the people who are encamped behind Whitehern, the new Ward 2 councillor also told staff. What's the plan?"

City manager Janette Smith described the city's existing encampment strategy as a housing-first approach" that doesn't have a neat and tidy time frame."

I will tell you that staff don't jump to do enforcement first," Smith said, noting there are about 100 encampment sites of varying size around Hamilton.

Housing outreach staff have been to the Whitehern site more than 40 times in the past month, said Angie Burden, general manager of healthy and safe communities. And we continue to do that work."

Moreover, 38 people have signed consent forms indicating they're interested in working with the housing team, Burden added. It's not an overnight solution."

Teviah Moro is a reporter at The Spectator. tmoro@thespec.com