Housing continues to be an issue in Humboldt, but soon there may be temporary housing available for newcomers.
During a regular meeting of Humboldt City Council on March 11, a discretionary use application from Connie Johnson who wants to create a boarding house at 10 Barnes Crescent, was a hot topic.
Johnson has been running a care home out of the house for a number of years and now, hoping to retire, she would like to turn the building into a boarding house.
Tenants of the boarding house would get a room and board for their rent payments, along with access to shared living areas in the house. During the summer months, local farmer Kenton Possberg will be renting rooms at the boarding house for his foreign workers, but the other months of the year the boarding house would be used for temporary housing, with new residents paying on a month-to-month basis until they can find permanent housing options.
Although the temporary housing option would be beneficial to Humboldt, concerned citizens sent in letters and attended a public hearing to voice their opinions for and against the boarding house.
"We have a number of written correspondence and a number of people here to speak on the issue," said Mayor Malcolm Eaton at the meeting.
One of the concerns of the public was the value of their homes going down due to a boarding house in the area and the type of clientele that would be staying in the house.
"I already have people who have proposed to move in," said Johnson. "I have checked references. These people have to be working and some of them might be here three months."
She explained in the past she has talked with many professionals who have moved to the area for work and have not been able to find accommodations immediately.
"I talked to a pharmacist. When she moved to town, there was no place for her," said Johnson. "She would have been in my place for three months before she found a proper home. She was complaining to me that there was nothing and there is nothing for people who have just moved for work."
Although there are many types of transient workers, Johnson is hoping to help out those who wish to make Humboldt their home.
"I'm not here to pick up people who are not utilizing their abilities to work or on welfare," said Johnson. "I am here for people who are working and coming to town."
Janine Hart of the Humboldt and District Newcomer Centre explained a boarding house would help out many newcomers to the area.
"The clients we are working with, who are coming over on a temporary foreign worker basis, are here to fill labour shortages," said Hart. "They are not here to cause trouble, they are here to work and apply for permanent residency in the most part. They are here to look to better themselves, improve the economy of the region and bring their families."
With affordable housing being an issue in the city, Hart said it is difficult to find housing for their clients when they first move to Humboldt.
"We are fighting for accommodations for these people in less than adequate circumstances and I think we need to look at the larger picture," said Hart.
She explained Possberg has worked with the federal government on the seasonal farmers program for many years and the people he has brought over have most often been housed in residential areas.
"We have never heard any complaints from the owners of the property they have rented from," said Hart. "I think we need to look at temporary permanent basis here. The people we would look at housing would certainly not be causing trouble. They are here to make permanent homes for their families."
Although the residents in the area had concerns with the clientele who will be using the home, Coun. Linda Mattock pointed out that all residents have those concerns throughout the city.
"I understand how people are upset about not having control, but as a resident, you don't have control over who your neighbours are going to be," said Mattock.
Mattock explained she has had issues with neighbours in the past and she does not have a boarding house next door.
Another concern for neighbours of the Johnson house was the number of people who could be staying in the house at any time.
Since there are three double rooms and five single rooms, there is the potential for up to 11 people to stay in the house.
Johnson does not want 11 people in her home and was hoping for about eight.
After discussing the clientele of the boarding house, the biggest concern was where people would park their vehicles.
After a lengthy discussion, Council agreed to have three parking spots on site with additional parking to be arranged by Johnson off-site.
Although her original plan was to turn her backyard into parking, she explained if the application is only approved for a set amount of time and it doesn't work out, she does not want to destroy her backyard.
At the end of their discussion, Council approved the discretionary use application with the conditions that it is only for a year to see how it will work. There were to be a maximum of eight people to stay in the house and other than the three parking spots on-site, Johnson will have to provide additional parking for her clients off-site, such as renting parking spots from the mall.
After the initial year, the application will be reviewed to see what worked and what did not and will either be extended or denied.
Johnson understood the concerns the residents of the neighbourhood had and has confidence there will not be any big issues.
"I'd like to acknowledge that I understand how you people feel. I'm sure if I saw a boarding house on my street I would probably feel the same," said Johnson. "I do not want my house trashed. I am proud of my house and I am constantly upkeeping my house inside and out. I certainly will be keeping an eye on my house and I trust my neighbours will do the same as well and let me know if something is going wrong."
