Editor:
Re: “Former Gibsons RCMP building to become supportive housing,” March 15.
This basically good project needs some rethinking. The stated objectives were “affordable housing” and “homelessness initiative” while people were getting “back on their feet.” Forty units at $350,000 each ($14 million divided by 40) with a $25,000-per-unit annual subsidy ($1 million divided by 40) will house lucky “lottery winners” who will never leave and will want to leave their units to their next of kin. HSPP used the Whistler Olympics athletes’ village to set up some 600 units for stays of a few weeks to over a year – at a fraction of these costs. UBC and other universities have student housing again at a fraction of these costs.
As a retired building contractor and the current owner of low-rent units, this initiative seems to emphasize deluxe at no or little cost rather than meeting the maximum accommodation for the variety of stated objectives.
Bill Thompson, Port Mellon
