We are bitterly disappointed by the results of the Surrey City Council meeting that saw Harmony rejected by the councilors by a vote of 5-4 with the mayor again refusing to support this worthwhile and much needed project. And again there was no explanation as to why this occurred. Most of us take having a home for granted. Most of us lived with our parents as children and then moved into various rental accommodations as young adults. Then if we had the money we found a way to get a mortgage and spend the rest of our lives paying it down. That is my experience anyway. And having lived in B.C. for over forty years I know how expensive and elusive housing here can be. But I have always had a place to live. How about you?
Most of us assume that our children will follow in our housing footsteps, more or less. We assume that they will have a place to live. But what about if they were intellectually disabled? What about if they were underemployed and could not afford the expensive rents currently demanded in most parts of the Lower Mainland? What if they were new to this country and needed community support to get started here in Canada? What if they were a single parent? A retiree? Someone new to the job market without a great deal of savings? A student with loans to pay who needed a break to get established in the community?
Fortunately for us our daughter comes from a very large family of caring folks who would probably help her. But this is not true for everyone. In this community however we have this amazing opportunity to provide a place to live for everyone; a spot where disabled people, retirees, students, immigrants and single parent families could afford to call home. This place is called Harmony. Tomorrow the people who want to live there are going to come together on site for a photo opportunity and a reporter from the local paper will be there as well. Our daughter and many of her friends and acquaintances will be there. These are people that want to live somewhere special. They want to live in Harmony! Please check out @uniti4all.com for more information. #WeNeedHarmony.
