It wasn’t quite a unanimous vote on Monday night.
“All those in favour, all those opposed? Carried – with Councillors Loo and Heed opposed,” said Mayor of Richmond, Malcom Brodie at Monday’s council meeting.
Richmond City Council voted to extend a temporary use permit for a supportive housing complex in the city for an additional three years.
“I think it’s incumbent upon the city to do what we can,” said Brodie.
Aster Place has been operating as a temporary 40-unit modular housing development since 2022, helping transition people out of homelessness into stable housing.
But the project hasn’t come without some controversy, as people protested the extension before the vote.
“I feel like my neighbourhood is a lot less safe than the neighbourhood was when I moved in,” said Donghi Wang, a north Richmond resident.
Sheldon Starrett, who is running for Mayor in the upcoming Richmond election, claims that Aster Place, along with Alderbridge, another supportive housing facility in the city, have brought concerns around safety in the community to the forefront.