Cloverdale supportive housing uproar shows importance of staying on top of development plans
Global News image The tent city on 135A Street in Whalley has been dispersed, as modular housing units have been set up to accommodate people who had been living there. Another step in the plan is to create more supportive housing units across the City of Surrey. The meteoric rise and fall of a proposal for 60 units of supportive housing in downtown Cloverdale is an instructive lesson on how elections play a huge role in influencing decisions. However, the most important lesson for residents might be this – pay close attention to development plans, both by the private sector and government agencies, in this case BC Housing. The movement to place one of several planned Surrey supportive housing sites in Cloverdale was proceeding mostly behind closed doors until BC Housing announced Sept. 4 that the proposal would move forward to public consultation. The proposed site was just off the main street, and would have utilized several city-owned properties. It is very close to...