Tent sites in HRM are busting at the seams, according to Halifax council.
Councillors expressed their exasperation Tuesday, at a tough situation.
They all seemed to agree that no one wants more encampments, but those experiencing homelessness need somewhere to go.
Bill Moore, executive director of Halifax’s community safety department says as the number of those living rough continues to rise, overcrowding is becoming a big issue.
The number of people on the by-name list for those experiencing homeless has grown to over 1,300, with between 140 and 150 sleeping rough in the city and even more in rural areas.
Out of the four current designated locations, there is a capacity for 30 people, but they have more than 85 setting up shop.
This has caused tents at many undesignated locations, resulting in a number of reports of negative and violent behavior for those who live, work and play around the encampments.
Moore says Northbrook Park in Dartmouth specifically is seeing the negative impacts.
“It has seen growth. It is now at 13 tents. Due to the proximity to neighbourhoods, there’s been a number of complaints of late-night partying, vandalism, noise, altercations between those living there and those that are trying to use the park.”
Moore says, in many cases some have stopped using the park, a nearby daycare has closed and city staff have even been chased out.
After a long discussion, to ease some of the pressure around HRM, nine new potential designated encampments have been approved:
- Bayers Road Windsor Street Park (Halifax).
- BiHi Park (Halifax).
- Chain Lake Park (Halifax).
- Cogswell Park (Halifax).
- Glebe Street Park (Halifax).
- Halifax Common berm (near Oval).
- Geary Street green space (Dartmouth).
- Bissett Road Park (Dartmouth).
- Point Pleasant Park (Halifax).
To manage them, Moore says there will be an increase in staff and the province is ramping up mental health support.
At this point, it is unclear how many tents will be allocated for each location.
Councillor Sam Austin says residents will not be thrilled, but sadly, this is where we are.
“What an awful choice. Our choice right now is which of our public spaces are we going to give up to become encampments because there are no other options right now, and our existing designated sites are jammed full.”
Austin says designating new locations is the “least bad of terrible choices, and all we have are terrible choices.”
Meanwhile, MP for Halifax, Andy Fillmore says in a statement that we need more “effective solutions” to the overcrowding.
He says he is very concerned about adding nine more sites and that removing roadblocks, while building housing quickly would be more effective.
He calls on council to work urgently on a plan with the province and community organizations.
The city is preparing a new, larger encampment for early fall at the corner of Bancroft Lane and Market Drive on Wrights Cove in Dartmouth.
Staff plan on reconvening in November after the tiny homes community in Lower Sackville is expected to be up and running as well as pallet shelters.
