In less than two years, the provincial government and local partners have moved more than 1,000 previously-homeless British Columbians into temporary-modular housing buildings.

For the most part, the “Rapid Response to Homelessness” plan has rolled out with remarkably few problems. A couple host communities have voiced opposition to their specific projects. Notably, south Vancouver’s Marpole residents, who took the city to court in a failed attempt to stop the construction of one of the modular-housing buildings in their community.

Perhaps no group has objected with greater vigor, however, than some residents of Maple Ridge. When asked if he supported a provincial plan to house some 50 homeless people in a modular-housing site proposed for Burnett Street, Mayor Mike Morden stated flatly, “I do not.”

The provincial government has said it nevertheless intends to move ahead with the project.

And today (April 26) the modular-housing site proposed for Maple Ridge received a strong vote of support from several influential industry groups.

“Homelessness touches every corner of our province, and each level of government has a role to play alongside community partners to ensure that all citizens are safely and affordably housed,” reads a “statement of support” signed by leaders of the B.C. Non-Profit Housing Association, Landlord B.C., the Homeless Services Association of B.C., and the Urban Development Institute.

The letter addresses several key claims that opponents of the project have repeatedly used in their arguments against it.

“On balance, properly managed supportive housing buildings show no direct correlation to increased crime, lowered property values, or safety issues compared to any other form of housing,” it reads.

“Moreover, supportive housing saves taxpayer’s money by ensuring people experiencing homelessness are not sheltered by expensive emergency services like hospitals.”

The statement also notes that the homeless people in question are citizens of Maple Ridge.

“The reality is that of the 124 individuals who identified as experiencing homelessness in Ridge Meadows in the 2017 Metro Vancouver Homeless Count, 60% of them have lived in the community for 10 or more years,” it reads.

“Municipalities willing to work as partners with the community housing sector and other levels of government will see the impacts of these investments for generations to come, because what is affordable in the community housing sector today, remains affordable tomorrow.”