David Eby, Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Housing, has directed BC Housing to commission an independent review of the Royal Crescent temporary supportive housing in Maple Ridge.

The review will address community concerns about operations at the building, which is operated by Coast Mental Health.

BC Housing will engage an external consultant to conduct the review, which will examine current practices and seek input for this site from residents, community members, the City of Maple Ridge and Fraser Health. Once the review is complete, a report with any recommendations will be released publicly.

Royal Crescent is a temporary modular supportive housing building that has provided 53 homes with supports for people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness in the community since October 2018 as an emergency solution to the unsafe former encampment at Anita Place. Unlike the vast majority of the Province’s supportive housing, it was not built to operate as supportive housing and was always intended as a temporary, emergency solution.

It is scheduled to be replaced by a new permanent building under construction on lots 11685-11695 Fraser St. and 11686 224th St. These will be supportive homes that are easier to operate safely and better able to provide care for residents. Residents are expected to move to the new building this summer. Then, the Royal Crescent site will be shut down and modular units removed. Once the Royal Crescent site is vacated, BC Housing will explore new affordable rental housing development options at the site for seniors in the community.

More information about the consultant selection process and a timeline for the review will be available in the near future.