Community housing manager not happy with treatment of homeless people

By ALEX McCUAIG Special to the News on May 11, 2021.

There is no shortage of leaders in Medicine Hat pointing to social issues in the city which rival those of the pandemic crisis. But in an open letter posted Friday, the director of an organization tasked with dealing with homelessness expressed frustration with a lack of support.

Providing support to Hatters “can’t just be based on someone’s economic status or housing status,” Jamie Rogers, manager of the Medicine Hat Community Housing Society, said Monday.

The emergency shelter received provincial funding as part of its COVID-19 response to allow for a place for those who are homeless or living rough a safe place during the day.

Rogers expressed frustration in the letter of the actions of the city’s Municipal Planning Commission. That body stalled the opening of a new location of an emergency day shelter that provides services to the city’s most vulnerable.

“I don’t think the situation should have ever happened,” said Rogers on Monday, adding the MPC should be tasked with “zoning for the building, not the people utilizing it.”

Rogers says there is crime and social disorder caused by addiction in the city but who is causing it “should be based on facts,” and not automatically placing blame for it on homeless people.

The move to the new location was prompted by a successful appeal by businesses represented by the City Centre Development Agency to move it from its former Third Street location following complaints.

In her letter, Rogers highlighted some of the complaints revolved around Indigenous staff who work at the shelter being accused of shooting drugs in their car when they were only retrieving PPE.

“Frontline workers were disparaged,” Rogers said of some of the complaints.

She said she is hoping to have better success in developing a plan for transitional housing for homeless in the city. And when it comes to businesses and community stakeholders, “we need them at the table with us.”

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