Dunbar Residents Association News and Events

SEPT 29 UPDATE

• Program Support and Methodology
• Staffing and Support Services
• Programs
• Safety and Security

Click here for DETAILED AGENDA

*Thursday, Oct 2, 6:30 – 8:30 PM: 16th & Dunbar Facility – Community Meeting #2 re: OMP, Dunbar Community Centre

• Items for discussion:
  • Program Support & Methodology
  • Staffing & Support Services
  • Programs
  • Safety & Security

  Detailed Agenda

• For more information, please visit the 16th & Dunbar web page.

*Monday, Oct 6, 7:30 PM: Federal Election Forum for Vancouver Women Candidates, Hycroft, 1489 McRae Ave near 16th & Granville, sponsord by the University Women’s Club of Vancouver

The candidates: Adrienne Carr for the Green Party, Libby Davies for the New Democratic Party and two candidates from the highly contested riding of Vancouver Quadra, Deborah Meredith for the Conservative Party and Joyce Murray for the Liberal Party, will take your questions in a discussion moderated by one of our members, City Councilor, Suzanne Anton.

• Open to members and the public by donation
• Register to attend: 604-731-4661 or email rosie@uwcvancouver.ca.

*Tuesday, Oct 7, 7:30 – 9:30 PM: DRA Board Meeting, Dunbar Community Centre

*Thursday, Oct 9 and Oct 23: Local Toastmasters Club meeting, St. Faith’s Church, 7284 Cypress Street at 57th (on Arbutus bus route),lower floor, parking east of church next to lower entry.

• Guests & new members welcome.
• No experience necessary.
• Meeting dates for the fall of 2008 are Sept.11th & 25th, Oct. 9th & 23rd, Nov. 6th & 20th, and Dec. 4th & 18th.
• For more information, contact Pat Stone at 604 261 0588 or Allan Welch at 604 318 4466, or email Pat at: pat_stone@telus.net

*Thursday, Oct 16, 6:30 – 8:30 PM: 16th & Dunbar Facility – Community Meeting #3 re: OMP, Dunbar Community Centre

• Items for discussion:
  • Good Neighbour Practices
  • Neighbourhood Relations – Staff Liaison with Community
  • 24 hr Emergency Response
  • Evaluation

  Detailed Agenda

• For more information, please visit the 16th & Dunbar web page.

*Saturday, Oct 18, 10 AM to 5 PM: EXPLORE YOUR PLANET, Pacific Museum of the Earth, UBC

• Hosted by UBC Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences and Pacific Museum of the Earth
• In celebration of National Earth Sciences Week
• Guided tours and hands-on activities & demos
• Fun for the whole family
• Free admission
• For more information, visit the EOS museum website or call 604-822-6992, email: pme@eos.ubc.ca

*Wednesday, Oct 22, 7:00 – 9:00 PM: Mayoralty Candidates Meeting on Affordable Housing, Homelessness and Mental Health, St. Andrews-Wesley United Church, 1022 Nelson Street (corner of Burrard & Nelson, underground parking off alley)

• For more information, contact Bobbie Phillips at events.staw@telus.net or grandy@novuscom.net or phone: 604-862-6826

*Thursday, Oct 23: Local Toastmasters Club meeting, St. Faith’s Church, 7284 Cypress Street at 57th (on Arbutus bus route),lower floor, parking east of church next to lower entry.

• Guests & new members welcome.
• No experience necessary.
• Meeting dates for the fall of 2008 are Sept.11th & 25th, Oct. 9th & 23rd, Nov. 6th & 20th, and Dec. 4th & 18th.
• For more information, contact Pat Stone at 604-261-0588 or Allan Welch at 604-318-4466, or email Pat at: pat_stone@telus.net.

*Friday, Oct 24, 7:00 – 9:00 PM: Mayor and Council Candidates Meeting, Hellenic Community Centre, 4500 Arbutus

• Hosted by the Shaughnessy Heights Property Owners Association

*Sat/Sun, Oct 25/26, 10 AM to 6 PM Sat/10 AM to 5 PM Sun: MINERAL MAYHEM, Pacific Museum of the Earth, UBC

• Minerals, crystals, books, toys and more for sale
• Museum tours
• Speakers from the collector and academic communities
• Free admission
• For more information, visit the EOS museum website or call 604-822-6992, email: pme@eos.ubc.ca

*Sunday, Oct 26, 7:00 – 9:00 PM: Mayoral Debate on the Arts, Arts Club Theatre, Granville Island

• Peter Ladner & Gregor Robertson debate on the role and future of the arts in Vancouver
• Hosted by the Alliance for Arts and Professional Theatre Alliance
• Contact Peter Boychuck for more information: pboychuck@allianceforarts.com

*Monday, Oct 27, 7:00 PM: Get Your Vote On mayoral debate, Biltmore Cabaret, 395 Kingsway

*Tuesday, Oct 28, 7:30 PM: Dunbar Garden Club, Dunbar Community Centre

• Winterizing Your Garden – Egan Davis, gardener for a number of areas in VanDusen Botanical Garden
• Drop-in fee $3.00

*Wednesday, Oct 29, 7:30 – 9:00 PM: The Langara Dialogues Mayoral Debate #2, Vancouver Public Library, Alice McKay Room, 350 W. Georgia

• The second of two mayoral debates
• For tickets and more information, contact David Berner, Langara College Community Liaison Officer, at 604-323-5771 or email: dberner@langara.bc.ca.

*Thursday, Oct 30, 6:30 – 8:30 PM: 16th & Dunbar Facility – Community Meeting #4 re: OMP, Dunbar Community Centre

• Items for discussion:
  • Community Advisory Committee
• For more information, please visit the 16th & Dunbar web page.

*Friday, Oct 31, 12:00 – 1:00 PM: SUCCESS Mayoral Debate on Immigration and Multiculturism, Vancouver Public Library, 350 W. Georgia

• Debate on municipal roles in immigration and multiculturism
• Hosted by the Canadian Jewish Congress, Vancouver Multicultural Society and the Affilation of Multicultural Societies and Service Agencies of BC

SEPT 9 UPDATE

AGENDA

1. Who Will Live Here
2. Client Selection Process
3. Client Operating Rules and Regulations

This is the first in a series of 4 meetings to receive input on the draft Operations Management Plan (OMP) for the Dunbar Apartments, a project that will provide housing and services for low-income people, disabled people and individuals with mental health issues who currently reside in the Dunbar, West Point Grey and Kitsilano areas, or whose origins were these communities.

This project will be operated by Coast Mental Health Society and residents will be referred by Vancouver Coastal Health, Yaffa Housing Society, St. George’s Place Housing Society and BC Housing.

1. Who Will Live Here

Current DRAFT OMP (September 4, 2008)
The Dunbar Apartment is intended for low-income people, disabled people and individuals with mental health issues who currently reside in the Dunbar, West Point Grey and Kitsilano areas, or whose origins were these communities.

The residence will provide housing as follows:

• 30 units will serve tenants with Mental Illness referred through Vancouver Coastal Health. These residents will be people with mental illness who are able to live independent, productive lives with support.
• 5 units will be referred through Yaffa Housing Society, a Jewish Faith-based society, will provide referral and supportive cultural services to people as part of the collaborative housing arrangement.
• 4 units will be referred through St. George’s Place Housing Society who will provide referral and consultative services to residents in the 4 wheelchair accessible units in the building.
• BC Housing will refer low-income clientele from the BC Housing Access System waiting list for the remaining units.

Priority will be given to those living in Dunbar, West Point Grey and Kitsilano. Clients generally do not own cars and the location is ideal for its proximity to shopping, transit and other support services.

In the event that individuals who meet the above criteria cannot fill units, VCH and BC Housing will work with Coast to select individuals who will be best served by the accommodation in this environment.

Community Concerns / Questions (June 26, 2008)

• duration of tenancy

2. Client Selection Process

Current DRAFT OMP (September 4, 2008)
30 Units will house referrals from Mental Health Housing Services, Vancouver Coastal Health. Potential residents will be assessed by professional staff at VCH for their appropriateness and ability to live in a supported apartment program. This process is one that Coast Mental Health is very familiar with and currently uses. Coast will have the final say in selection. All 30 tenants will be connected to mental health clinical supports and follow-up in the community.

The other 21 referrals will come from BC Housing with preference given to applicants of the Dunbar/Westside Community. Applicants will be placed on the list for Dunbar based on the criteria mandated for that building. Specifically people who have lived or have ties in that area that are currently unable to access affordable accommodations in their community. Yaffa and St. George’s Place referrals will be processed through BC Housing’s system.

Once a vacancy is determined and an individual has been waitlisted for the Dunbar building, a thorough screening and assessment will take place to ensure that the individual is suitable for the building. Coast as the operator of the building will have final say in who is selected for the building.

All clients will be required to sign a Residential Tenancy Agreement including the Addendum for Crime Free Housing prior to admission.

Community Concerns / Questions (June 26, 2008)

• tenant selection criteria – possible changes; possible inclusion of seniors that meet other criteria; psychiatric “threshold”; geographic; other criteria

3. Client Operating Rules and Regulations

Current DRAFT OMP (September 4, 2008)
A Supported Housing Programs Service Agreement will be in place and apply to operators and residents.

Community Concerns / Questions (June 26, 2008)

• acknowledgment of tenant/community rights (mutual) – re what is acceptable and what isn’t
• visitors / overnight guests
• pet policy
• tenant “possessions”/storage
• drug use
• smoking
• loitering
• shopping carts
• monitoring tenant activities, residence rules
• ability to evict a tenant

*Tuesday, Sept 9, 7:30 PM: DRA Board Meeting, Dunbar Community Centre.

*Thursday, Sept 11, 6:30 – 8:30 pm: 16th & Dunbar Facility – Community Meeting re: OMP, Dunbar Community Centre.

• Items for discussion:
  • Tenancy (who will live here)
  • Client Selection Process
  • Client Operating Rules & Regulations
• For more information, please visit the 16th & Dunbar web page.

* Thursday, Sept 11 and Sept 25: Local Toastmasters Club meeting, St. Faith’s Church, 7284 Cypress Street at 57th (on Arbutus bus route), lower floor, parking east of church next to lower entry.

• Guests & new members welcome.
• No experience necessary.
• Meeting dates for the fall of 2008 are Sept.11th & 25th, Oct. 9th & 23rd, Nov. 6th & 20th, and Dec. 4th & 18th.
• For more information, contact Pat Stone at 604 261 0588 or Allan Welch at 604 318 4466, or email Pat at: pat_stone@telus.net.

*Friday, Sept 19: Deadline for submission of articles for October DRA newsletter.

• For more information, please visit the DRA Newsletter web page.

*Tuesday, Sept 23, 7:00 PM: Dunbar Vision Implementation Committee Meeting, St. Philip’s Church, 3737 W. 27th.

*Tuesday, Sept 23, 7:30 PM: Dunbar Garden Club, Dunbar Community Centre

• Getting Your Lawn Off Grass: Some Alternatives – Dr. Alan Reid, horticulturist for Garden Works
• Drop-in fee $3.00