London’s Whole of Community Response to Homelessness could now include almost $2 million in grants for local Business Improvement Areas (BIAs).
On Tuesday, city council’s strategic priorities and policy committee voted on a staff report that recommended that the Downtown London and Old East Village BIAs be granted $1.16 million and $500,000 respectively.
Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis also put forward two motions that BIAs in Argyle and on Hamilton Road receive a combined $250,000 as both areas are also dealing with the fallout of the homelessness crisis.
“The impacts of homelessness aren’t limited to the Downtown and OEV commercial area” Lewis said.
“Increasingly this year, we are seeing those impacts moving east along both Dundas Street and Hamilton Road. Both the Argyle and Hamilton Road BIAs devoting considerable staff time and levee resources toward coping with encampment, theft, staff safety, and property damage, that our overwhelmingly small businesses – we don’t have a lot of big box stores – are struggling with,” the deputy mayor explained.
The motions were supported by Ward 1 Coun. Hadleigh McAlister and both were passed.
Councillors Jerry Pribil and Steve Lehman abstained from both votes, while Councillors Anna Hopkins, Steven Hillier, Susan Stevenson, and Sam Trosow voted against the expansion of funding.
“This is bridge funding, because the long term solution is obviously investing in police and housing which council is doing,” Lewis said. He added that council needs “to help our businesses make it long enough for those police and housing investments to be fully implemented.”
Lewis’ successful motions prompted Ward 7 Coun. Corrine Rahman to request $125,000 for the Hyde Park BIA. That request did not receive enough votes from the committee.
Council will vote on the committee’s recommendations at a future meeting.