Position on the Tiny Home Community - Lower Sackville
To start I think it is important share the facts about the Tiny Home Community to stop any misinformation.
Quick facts :
rent for the homes will be geared to income, with residents paying no more than 30% of their incomes to stay in the homes
residents will be selected from the HRM By Name List and will receive the wraparound support they need to help them connect to employment and more permanent housing
a not-for-profit entity will be established to own and oversee the community
this entity will be operated by a board of management that will initially have representatives from the provincial government, HRM, the private sector and a not-for-profit agency; the board will be responsible for managing the site development and for ongoing site management
10 units will be double occupancy
a community building will be constructed on-site to provide office and programming space for service providers and residents
Source:
Source: Tiny Home community to be constructed in Lower Sackville - The Laker
A project like this is new to Nova Scotia, and I appreciate the Province thinking outside of the box and looking at successful programs in other jurisdictions. It is important to ensure vulnerable people are supported, many whom are victims of today’s struggling economy and housing shortage. My personal view is this could be any one of us, and we could need help someday without being judged.
That being said, I would not have supported this decision to put this Tiny Home Community on a baseball field that I personally coached a 13u LWF baseball team on the year before the temporary encampment was established. Our community is already short on sports facilities and specifically baseball diamonds.
This Tiny Home community is also front and center in one of Sackville’s busiest intersections and may negatively affect the businesses surrounding it. I would have rather seen HRM and the Province explore alternate locations, and although I’m not privy to all of the information councillors had in approving this location, I’m certain better options exist.
One location that could have been explored is the property beside the Quest. This, I believe, is provincially owned land just outside the new 2024 HRM flood plain, a short walk to Cobequid Bus Terminal, away from residential housing and businesses, with sewer and water close by, and the baseball field could have remained.
Highlited in yellow below
Unfortunately the Tiny Home Community will not be moved now as there is too much invested in the infrastructure and is on the path to completion.
I understand the concerns of the residents of Sackville and that the trust has been eroded. If elected my promise is to Sackvillle that I will be a member of the board that will oversee the village and ensure:
safe operation
tenants are vetted
guidelines are being followed
completely transparent with all of the community while respecting tenant's privacy
Billy Gillis