Neighbors of a proposed supportive housing facility were protesting in front of Kelowna City Hall on Monday.
BC Housing is seeking approval from the city, to build the facility at 2025 Agassiz Road near the Orchard park shopping centre. The complex would provide 52 units of housing for the homeless with 24/7 on-site support services.
Dave Bradshaw lives in the neighborhood and helped to organize the protest on Monday. Initially, he was in favor of the facility.
"We don't have a problem with them setting it up until we found out that it was going to be what we'd call a wet facility... meaning that they can do drugs on the premises. That's what we're against." said Bradshaw.
BC Housing has said, in their experience, crime does not increase around supportive housing and at least 2 staff members would be on site around the clock.
Bradshaw isn't convinced. He says allowing drugs into the facility would invite crime into a neighborhood with lots of senior citizens.
"We're not against them opening it up if it was just for seniors only, or if it was for abused women, we'd welcome them into the neighborhood." said Bradshaw. "But drugs? Not a chance."