'FLOP HOUSES' SHOULD BE FOCUS

The city should deal with the "flop houses" in Abbotsford, before it
starts legalizing more recovery homes.

That's according to Psalm 23 Transition Society president Marvin
Declare, who said city hall should be cracking down on homes which
offer only shelter, rather than professional services to recovering
drug addicts.

Declare was talking about properties in Abbotsford, which describe
themselves as recovery houses but offer few or no programs to residents.

Characterizing them as "boarding houses" or "flop houses," Declare
said many contain five or less residents so they comply with city bylaws.

The City of Abbotsford legalized 11 recovery houses in Abbotsford
last year, and could lift a one-year moratorium which allows others
to apply. Declare's society operates three of those 11 houses.

Declare said that after addicts have been through a drug treatment
program, they need additional help to further assist their progress.
These services should be provided through a structured program in a
licenced recovery home, said Declare, to reduce the risk of relapse.

Declare said some operators are more interested in collecting rent
money - courtesy of welfare cheques - rather than providing the
services they should.

In legalizing 11 recovery homes, the city denied seven more. Those
seven, together with the houses that did not come forward for
consideration, were expected to close.

However, Declare said some operators have simply reduced their number
of residents from up to 10 to five or less. City housing bylaws allow
five unrelated people to live in the same dwelling.

"I think it's a case of when you bring out the traps, then the mice
will go to a different place," said Declare, adding that he wants to
work with the city to bring the issue to light.

"When these places closed down, the understanding was that they ...
would not be able to operate. Some people are still in these
neighbourhoods and are still operating."