City seeks public opinion on service hubs for homeless Londoners

Londoners gathered on June 14, 2023, to provide their input on homeless hubs at the first public meeting regarding the Whole of Community Response to Homelessness. (Jenn Basa/CTV News London)

The city held two of its first public meetings on addressing its homelessness strategy on Wednesday evening.

This month, the city will hold several public meetings regarding the Whole of Community Response to Homelessness.

The city’s goal is to open five service hubs by the end of the year, and create 12 to 15 in total for Londoners experiencing homelessness.

“We want to ask the community for input on, if a hub is in your neighbourhood, how do they be a good neighbour to you?” said London, Ont.’s Deputy Chief Manager of Social Health and Development Kevin Dickins.

Public input is now being sought to establish a set of criteria for selecting the specific locations of the hubs.

“Some of the feedback is that people are just curious - about where they’re going to go,” Dickins said. “That’s why we need their input for us to help determine that. Some folks are showing signs of where hubs should not go, close to schools, playgrounds, seniors homes… as more people engage we will have a broader definition.”

Whole of Community Response by the Numbers. (Jenn Basa/CTV News London)

Residents will be able to participate through city hall’s engagement portal Get Involved London, or at one of five in-person drop-in sessions between June 14 and June 26.

Mayor Josh Morgan said community input will help develop a set of criteria that council will consider in mid-July.

Locations and times for future public meetings:

• Thursday, June 15, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Byron Optimist Community Centre – 1308 Norman Avenue
• Thursday, June 15, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at East Lions Community Centre – 1731 Churchill Avenue
• Monday, June 26, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kiwanis Seniors’ Community Centre – 78 Riverside Drive

 

— With files from CTV’s Daryl Newcombe