We still need to do more about affordable housing and homelessness in Surrey

Stephanie Ryan, Surrey Civic Coalition council candidate, applauds yesterday's announcement that 30 to 40 units of modular supportive housing will come to Surrey.

The agreement is a partnership between VANOC, RONA, the provincial government and the city. "It's great for Surrey and will help address the issue of homelessness," said Ryan.

She said Homelessness Awareness Week was an opportune time to note, "The city has made significant progress in addressing homelessness in the last three years, especially with the establishment of the Housing & Homelesness Society.

But Ryan, who has researched the lack of commercial development in Whalley, said there is much more that can be done.

"City Council has chosen to not lobby the provincial government to build more co-op housing in Surrey. It hasn't yet taken steps to protect existing rental stock for the long-term, and to build more non-market housing stock in the short-term. Nor has the city examined innovative solutions such as introducing the idea of location-efficient mortgages at the regional level."

Ryan also thinks people in Surrey still need to know more about the deal that was struck. "We haven't been told what the value of the land on the part of the city will be," she said.

Ryan hopes the city will consult the community when choosing a location for the supportive housing.