Deal to create 20 supportive housing units in Summerside falls through

A deal which could have led to up to 20 supportive housing units in Summerside has fallen through. 

A building owner refused to sell a property to the province over concerns about how it would be used, said P.E.I. Housing, Land and Communities Minister Rob Lantz.

"I guess it's more of that stigma, more of that 'not in my backyard' type of attitude," Lantz told CBC News.

Delivering services to vulnerable people effectively, without disrupting surrounding neighbourhoods too much, is a primary goal of his department, Lantz said.

Although it appears this deal won't happen, the housing minister said there are other options, mentioning another location that the City of Summerside actually preferred.

Lantz said he and his staff are now leaning toward acquiring mobile units similar to those used at the Park Street Emergency Shelter in Charlottetown, and situating them on whatever Summerside site ends up being most suitable.

Many of the vulnerable people who have contacted the government about needing housing in the Summerside area don't necessarily need emergency shelter, said Lantz.

"They're probably in a position to move into some type of supportive housing," he said.

Lantz also said his department's push to provide services for vulnerable Islanders has run into some opposition because the Community Outreach Centre on Euston Street in Charlottetown has served as a poor example of what that looks like. 

"I think it's outgrown its intended purpose there, and it's not a good location, and so it's created a public conversation that's certainly not helpful," he said.

One week ago, Premier Dennis King and Lantz announced that the province was planning to move the outreach centre to a location near the Park Street shelter, if the City of Charlottetown grants its approval for a zoning variance.