RECOVERING ADDICTS COULD LOSE HOME SWEET HOME

Amber stands proudly atop the front steps of her Quebec Street rental home,
her clear blue eyes taking in the view south to the Fraser River, before
looking across the street to a row of well-kept houses.

The slightly-built 24-year-old loves the area. There are plenty of places
to exercise, very little crime and a Gastown pharmacy delivers methadone
every morning to her and six other recovering addicts in the house.

"I'm out of the war zone now. I'm accountable to the house and I'm on the
methadone program, which is stopping my cravings," says Amber, who, until
six months ago, was a drug-using prostitute working the Downtown Eastside.

The addiction recovery home at 6306 Quebec St. opened in May, when Native
health advocate Bert Guillen-frustrated at the lack of recovery bed space
in the city-brought together several addicts who wanted to go clean.

Guillen formed a not-for-profit society to oversee the operation of the
Quebec Street house. Participants had to sign a contract saying they would
not use drugs while living at the house, and that their welfare money would
be pooled to cover rent, food, hydro, telephone and cable.

Within two months, the number of participants hit 14 as Downtown Eastside
doctors and drug counselors heard about the home and started referring
people there.

The major government-funded recovery house in Vancouver is the 22-bed
Turning Point facility at 455 West 13th Ave., but Turning Point has a
waiting list of between four to six weeks. While waiting, addicts seeking
help must try their best to stay off drugs, often while living in the
Downtown Eastside.

The Quebec Street house generated no complaints from neighbours and things
were going well until July, when one of the referring doctors asked Guillen
who was paying him to operate the three-level home.

"I said no one; we do it all on welfare. Then the doctor contacted the
Vancouver-Richmond Health Board," said Guillen. "The [health board] visited
us and said they had no money or support for us and that they would tell
the authorities that we had 14 people here."

Soon after, City of Vancouver staff visited and told the residents they
were not allowed to operate a not-for-profit society out of the home and
that the maximum number of people allowed was five. Since that time, half
the residents have left, and the number sharing the house is down to seven.

With fewer people to share the bills, money pressures tightened. This week,
the situation got worse when the Ministry of Social Development and
Economic Security told the recovering addicts it would only give them $180
a month each for rent-just enough to cover the $1,260-a-month rent for the
house-instead of the $325 they previously received.

Lee Perreault, caretaker at the home, is convinced the three tiers of
government are working to shut the home down.

"The system is screwing the house and will put us back on skid row in a
[single occupancy room] surrounded by people who aren't recovering," said
Perreault, who points to Gus, one of the residents, as an example of
positive effect the clean, well-organized home can have.

Gus was a heroin addict living under the Georgia Street viaduct until he
had a seizure in May and ended up in hospital. He was referred to the
Quebec Street recovery house by a hospital doctor and on Dec. 10 is due to
start a web designer course at Corporate Communications Training College.

Without a home and the support of other recovering addicts, Gus likely
won't make class next month. "I've had enough of Hastings Street. I don't
want to go back, but I got no option," the 37-year-old said.

Donald MacPherson, the city's drug policy coordinator, said the issue of
support for non-government recovery homes must be addressed as part of the
city's drug strategy. However, the city is following current guidelines by
requesting that only five people live in the home.

Amber knows pressure is mounting to close the home. But buoyed by the fresh
morning air and a new-found self confidence, she believes things will work out.

"I've got faith now. There's no way people won't see how this home has
helped us. I think we'll stay."

Brian Johnston, health board senior health inspector, said the tenants will
likely be moved to Surrey.