Mar 16, 2026 5 min read

Open House for Tiny Homes

You may have heard that BC Housing is planning a Tiny Homes project in New Westminster at 502 20th Avenue.

This is a transitional housing project being set up by the BC Housing to create temporary transitional housing that helps people in New West move from being homeless to having stable housing.

There has been a lot of push back in the community against this project, particularly at the in-person consultation and information sessions put on by BC Housing.

Many of the people we've worked with in the past have run the risk of homelessness due to rising rents and bad-faith evictions, and we want to ensure the voices of renters are heard at these events.

If you want to see more affordable and supportive housing in New Westminster, then this is an important project to support. The powers that be will not know you support this project unless you show up. If you want to see this project succeed you need to come out to a consultation meeting, but you don't have to go alone! The NWTU is planning to go out as a group.

Even small groups of people coming out to these sessions can have a big impact, and right now the main people showing up are people who are against this project.

The next community open house for the project is on Thursday March 19th 2026 from 5:30 to 7:30pm. It is being run by BC Housing.

To join us:

Reply to this email to confirm you'll meet us there!
Meet at the Anvil Centre at 5:30pm in the West Ballroom

We also encourage members with concerns about the project to join as well. This is the place to ask tough questions, hear all sides, and elevate the discussion. To help, one of our members has compiled a list of facts addressing some of the misinformation concerning the project below. A healthy, democratic debate depends on accurate information.

Myths and Facts about the Tiny Homes Project

We also wanted to share some corrections to misinformation we have seen being passed around the community.

Myth #1: The tiny homes project in Victoria failed and the city is getting rid of it.

Correction: The version of this project in Victoria was set up by BC Housing under a temporary use permit (TUP). The project was intended to be a temporary, quick build, to transition people living in it into more stable long term housing. The project was renewed the maximum number of times it could be under the provincially set Local Government Act (3 times since 2021). The fact that the city chose to renew the project 3 times suggests it was working well, but in order to continue the project while still following provincial laws they would need to set up a different kind of use permit for the land.

Myth #2: This is a “wet facility,” shelter solely for substance users.

Correction: The people living in this housing will be paying rent, and will be screened to make sure they're ready to live in a small community environment and be good neighbours. This is supported housing to help people go from being homeless to having a stable long term place to live.

This is not a shelter. This is not a detox program or a treatment program. However if someone living here does struggle with substance use or relapses, they will get connected with help faster because they will already be connected with extra support services and workers they have a long term relationship with. It's also much easier to work on and stay in recovery if you have a place to live.

Myth #3: This will bring in more people experiencing homelessness to New Westminster

Correction: There are already more people experiencing homelessness in New Westminster than this project will be able to house. The project will prioritize people already in New Westminster.

It is extremely difficult when you are homeless to get straight back into market housing, and there is not enough affordable housing built right now to house everyone who is currently homeless in New West. This project is a bridge for people to have a place to live until they can get longer term housing.

New Westminster has been a leader in the lower mainland in affordable housing policy; when our city has made changes, other cities have followed suit. If no city builds transitional housing, we will never be able to solve homelessness in the lower mainland.

Myth #4: The Thursday March 5th event on this project was a coordinated townhall organized by the neighbours of the area.

Correction: The Thursday March 5th event was one of two information sessions run by the City of New Westminster and BC Housing. This March 19th session is the second one. It was not organized by west end residents. It is part of the larger consultation process that the city has created around this project. Source:

Myth #5: "Good Neighbour Agreements" are the best and only way to ensure this housing will be safe for the people living in the tiny homes and their neighbours. Good Neighbour Agreements are signed by people living in the neighbourhood.

Correction: Good Neighbour Agreements are one way for projects like this to set expectations for how everyone in the neighbourhood should treat each other. However they are set up and signed by the City and the organization operating the housing. They are also not legally binding and can be over-ruled if they contradict things that are legally binding like actual laws.

BC Housing has a "Letter of Commitment" process that offers more protection for people living around supportive housing sites than Good Neighbour Agreements can. The Letter of Commitment says that legally BC Housing has to have proper supports in place for the tiny homes at all times. This includes support staff on-site 24/7, safety measures to ensure tiny home communities are safe for everyone living in them, and plans in place for if anything happens that negatively impacts people living in these tiny homes, or anyone living in the neighbourhood around the tiny homes. This offers legally enforceable guarantees for everyone in our community, which does a lot more to keep everyone safe than a Good Neighbour Agreement is able to.

Also, in the first 4 months this project is being set up, if you want input into how the site is run you can do so through your local neighbourhood residents association, which are going to have a place on the transitional housing inclusion committee.

Sources and News Articles

CBC: Some New Westminster neighbours oppose new tiny home village for unhoused people: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/transitional-housing-tiny-home-village-new-west-9.7116864

Attend the Tiny Homes Open House

The next community open house for the project is on March 19th 2026 from 5:30 to 7:30pm. It is being run by BC Housing.

To join the tenants union group attending:

Reply to this email to confirm you'll meet us there!
Meet at the Anvil Centre at 5:30pm in the West Ballroom