Council adopts housing needs report; to pursue recommendations

By Rob Vogt

Claresholm town council has approved the Claresholm Housing and Service Needs Community Report and directed the Claresholm and District Family and Community Support Services board to review the report and its findings/opportunities.
The decision came at council’s June 23 meeting.
Abe Tinney, the town’s chief administrative officer, explained the report was presented at council’s June 9 meeting by the Rural Development Network who worked with Claresholm and District Family and Community Support Services to draft the report.
He noted there were three recommendations and Barbara Bell, the director of Family and Community Support Services was there to discuss them.
She said they are:
Foster community awareness and understandings of housing insecurity;
Increase awareness of, and access to services;
Encourage sustainable housing growth in Claresholm.
Bell noted the findings show in this town at least 231 residents are experiencing housing insecure living conditions. The community needs to have more communication and conversations around this.
She suggested maybe it be brought up at the next coffee with council or a board be set up to look at possibilities for growth of housing.
“We’re really frustrated,” she said.
Bell cited an example of a woman and her son coming to her office at 3 p.m. Friday afternoon after they were evicted. She tried to get them a hotel room, but was unable to, so she placed them in Nanton for three nights.
She said every day she is seeing someone displaced. She knows of people living in tents in the campground, and one family living in a car.
“These are human beings and they need a place to go,” Bell said.
She stressed she realizes all places around are dealing with the same issues.
Bell said the community doesn’t see people lying in the streets.
“But at some point, it’s going to be here,” she said.
Bell emphasized this story needs to get out to the community.
Coun. Kandice Meister said they all have heard stories here and there.
“Honestly, we don’t know how to help right now,” she said.
Bell said this was not initially part of her job, but has seen it grow over the past four years.
“We have a really hard time saying, ‘I’m sorry I can’t help you,’” she said. “So we’re doing what we can.”
Coun. Rod Kettles asked if there was a particular group or theme in housing insecurity.
“It is across everywhere,” Bell responded.
Coun. Kieth Carlson asked if there was any funding available from the provincial government to address the issue.
Bell said there is not.
Council then approved the Claresholm Housing and Service Needs Community Report and directed the Claresholm and District Family and Community Support Services board to review the report and its findings/opportunities.