Owner of Vancouver building says Gastown residents blocked by hostile campers

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The owner of a rental apartment building in Gastown says there has been little help from the city, claiming hostile homeless campers are blocking residents from using the front entranceway.

Jon Stovell has been documenting seemingly deteriorating conditions around the property.

The president of Reliance Properties has been posting the pictures on Twitter, images ranging from spit dripping down the entranceway phone, human waste on the pavement, and what seems to be open drug use and dealing in the doorway of the building at Hastings and Carrall streets.

Stovell, who is also a board member for the Urban Development Institute, says people living in the building can’t use the front entrance because of the hostility they face from the campers, including verbal abuse and spitting.

“Our tenants can no longer use the front door to their homes. They have to come and go through the alley where they are also assaulted and threatened,” he writes in a Twitter post.

In an online exchange, the Vancouver Police Department urges Stovell to call 9-1-1 or the VPD non-emergency line if tenants are unable to enter the building.

“Thanks. 911 tells us not to call and non emergency response is slow and unreliable. But thanks so much, we will keep trying. This is also a city by-law issue no?” he responds.

The VPD admits non-emergency calls have a slower response time, but asks Stovell to contact the department directly so he can connect with his neighbourhood police officer.

Stovell says he has approached the city, asking that more be done to deal with the issues his renters face, but that there has been little action.

A City of Vancouver spokesperson tells The Vancouver Sun newspaper that anyone who feels blocked from their building by squatters can call 3-1-1.

But Ashton Patis, manager of communications at city hall, also says homelessness has become a much more visible issue through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The impact of COVID-19 and no-guest policies in nonprofit housing has meant that people experiencing homelessness across Vancouver have fewer places to go during the day and overnight, meaning that they have little respite from living outside,” she tells the paper.

City of Vancouver responds

In a statement regarding the concerns raised by Stovell in Gastown, the City of Vancouver says “There have not been any site specific complaints to 3-1-1.”

It notes that it is regularly meeting with partners to “monitor the situation and identify the work needed to address specific issues in the area.”

The city says as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, homelessness has become more visible around Vancouver as many drop ins, libraries, and community centres have been forced to close their doors.

“This has meant that those experiencing homelessness across Vancouver have fewer places to go inside to access services and supports,” the statement to NEWS 1130 reads.

It assures that sanitation services have been increased in recent weeks around the downtown area, as well as along East Hastings street.

In addition to its efforts, the city says its outreach team has added shifts to support those in need. It has also used BC Housing funding to conduct outreach twice a week.

“The City urges residents to show compassion to others, many of whom are were already marginalized and are now facing untold additional challenges as a result of COVID-19 which has led to greater housing instability, increased overdose deaths in the community and restricted access to vital services.”

People are encouraged to call 3-1-1 to report issues in the area.

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