Re. Peter Dixon's letter Wrong location (Castanet, Dec. 1)
Referring to placing these houses near the car dealerships along Highway 97 (in Kelowna), how dare the city put houses for homeless people near where people buy very expensive cars, and where people can see them.
We mustn't remind people that Kelowna is not paradise, but a normal growing city dealing with the problems of homeless and pay inequality. Everyone complains about homeless people but now the city is trying to reduce the number of people living this way and we hear the usual not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) complaints.
Tourists coming here won't care as long as they don't have run-ins with homeless people while visiting. If these tourists are coming from Europe, Vancouver, Toronto or the United States, I am sure they have seen homeless people before because the problem in those places is much greater.
(The city) says these tiny home sites will be properly supervised and those (living there) will be given the help they need to get off the streets. So, it won't be a free-for-all with no restrictions.
I hope these homes are successful and help those who need help. Our local homelessness issue will never diminish if nothing is done. I agree that anyone abusing the opportunity to have one of these homes should be dealt with by charges or institutionalized in drug rehabilitation.
Not everyone on the streets is a criminal or an addict. If I was homeless, I would appreciate the help to get off the streets and back to being a productive member of society.
Our concern should be to help these people, not whether rich people get upset while buying their cars.
A Mullins