Seniors Homeless in Richmond - Delegation to Richmond City Council

Mayor and Council,

Thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening.

First, I want to acknowledge the work of City staff, community agencies, and volunteers who support some of Richmond's most vulnerable residents.

The report before Council highlights a concerning trend: more seniors in our community are facing housing insecurity and homelessness.

For many people, homelessness is often viewed through the lens of addiction, mental health challenges, or unemployment.

But seniors experiencing homelessness present a different reality.

Many have worked their entire lives. They may have raised families here, volunteered in our community, and contributed to Richmond's success. Yet rising housing costs, fixed incomes, the loss of a spouse, health challenges, or simply living longer than their savings anticipated can leave them vulnerable.

What concerns me is that homelessness among seniors is often not a sudden event. It is usually the result of a long series of housing pressures that accumulate over time.

This raises an important question:

Do we currently have the right tools to address the problem before people become homeless?

Richmond has a Housing Office, and it performs an important role in coordinating, planning, and advocating for housing initiatives. But as I reviewed this report, I found myself reflecting on a conversation Council has already had.

In the Fall of 2024 I proposed and Council approved exploring the concept of a Richmond Housing Authority. At the time, the discussion focused largely on housing delivery and local control.

Tonight's report suggests another reason that conversation may be worth revisiting.

A Housing Office helps coordinate solutions.

A Housing Authority can help deliver them.

A Housing Authority can acquire properties, manage housing assets, partner with non-profit organizations, leverage municipal lands, and create long-term housing capacity focused specifically on Richmond's needs.

Most importantly, it can help create a housing continuum. Because if we truly want to reduce senior homelessness, the goal should not simply be helping seniors once they become homeless.

The goal should be preventing homelessness from occurring in the first place.

Imagine a system where Richmond could proactively identify housing gaps for seniors, acquire or develop housing options, manage affordable units, and create pathways for seniors to transition between different housing needs as they age.

That is fundamentally different from relying almost entirely on provincial programs and waiting for opportunities to arise.

I am not suggesting that a Housing Authority is a silver bullet.

Nor am I suggest duplicating the role of BC Housing. But I do believe Richmond should ask whether the organizational structure we have today is sufficient for the challenges we see emerging tomorrow.

As our population ages, the housing needs of seniors will only increase. If we are concerned about senior homelessness today, what will those numbers look like in five years? Ten years?

And do we want to be discussing the same challenges then, or do we want to begin building the capacity to address them now?

I would encourage Council, as part of its ongoing housing discussions, to revisit the findings of the Housing Authority review and consider whether there are opportunities to expand Richmond's ability to directly participate in housing delivery and management.

Because ultimately, housing is not just about buildings.

It is about dignity. It is about stability.

And it is about ensuring that the people who helped build this community can continue to call Richmond home.

Thank you for your time, and I welcome any questions.

Jerome Dickey