DERA defies city for homeless

By Matthew Claxton-Contributing writer

Vancouver Courier
January 10, 2005

The Downtown Eastside Residents Association has opened the common room of its Tellier Tower without city permission to help homeless people affected by the recent cold weather.

On Tuesday night six people slept on the floor of the room, and about 15 came to the shelter on Wednesday, said DERA homeless prevention worker David Cunningham.

"We're doing this as an act of defiance to the city," Cunningham said. He argued the city and province have failed to deal with homelessness and something had to be done before someone froze.

"It's an amazing show of compassion the way the governments are responding to the disaster in Asia," said DERA executive director Kim Kerr. "But here in Vancouver a disaster has been announced as well, but the city has done next to nothing to deal with the night to night survival of the thousands of people on the street."

Despite what DERA says, the city has not been turning the homeless away from existing shelters, said Judy Graves, head of the city's tenant assistance program.

"We have more space than we have people," she said. Some people on the streets don't realize space is available, she added.

"We need the message to get to the homeless themselves."

The opening of the Tellier Tower common room wasn't widely publicized. DERA informed other shelters, which referred the people they were forced to turn away as their spaces filled up. Many people who took shelter there Wednesday were referred from the needle exchange, said Cunningham. Volunteers are running the temporary program.

Although DERA opened the room without a permit, neither Cunningham nor Kerr expect a fine or other action from city hall, given the emergency nature of the situation.

The Fire and Rescue Service will also not be cracking down because of the extenuating circumstances.

"We certainly want to do our part, as long as it's safe," said Captain Rob Jones-Cook.

DERA has been trying to get a permit to use the common room as a shelter for some time.

"There are hoops to jump through, none of which I've jumped through yet," said Kerr.

A permit will cost $400, and the number of people who can use the building has to be determined, he said.

DERA is also working to get the basement of Tellier Tower approved as a shelter, but approval will require more renovation, including toilet installation and the creation of a separate entrance for the homeless.