Supportive housing protest

Kelowna neighbours of a proposed supportive housing project at 2025 Agassiz Rd. voiced their displeasure at a protest outside City Hall, Monday.

The rally was held at noon to highlight the mostly senior neighbourhood's concerns about the operation of a BC Housing "wet facility" allowing drug use on the premises.

''It wouldn't be a bad idea to put the homeless shelter behind us if it was for seniors only or abused women ... it would be perfect, but what they are doing is bringing drugs into the neighbourhood and allowing the residents of this facility to use drugs on premises," said resident Dave Bradshaw. 

About 100 hundred community members marched outside City Hall for several hours.

''Last night for example, people are finding out that this building might go there, and they are coming around our neighbourhood. We got broken into last night in our complex, and it's starting to open our eyes," Bradshaw added. 

Safety isn't the only concern for residents. 

"The property was assessed at $1.3 million in 2017, and then BC Housing hired an appraiser to re-appraise it in 2018, but gave them instructions it should be appraised at its future value. That second appraisal came in at $2.89 million, and they ended up paying $2.6 million. We want to know why they paid double," said resident Jane Nicholson. 

The City of Kelowna has not commented on the protest.