Concerned citizens gathered on the lawn of town hall last week to rally against the lack of a permanent shelter in Creston.
The group, mostly supporters of the Den Society, were impassioned by a recent panel series presented at the local library called When Homelessness Hits Close to Home. The discussions aimed to provide more information on the issue in Creston, with perspectives from local experts.
“While the Den Society and its volunteers have continued to provide support, food, services and human kindness to Creston’s unhoused, as well as information and education to the community at large, we are still unable to establish a shelter without the co-operation and engagement of the Town of Creston’s staff and council,” said Nancy DeVuono, board chair. “There are many folks still living outdoors and some are being hounded from place to place by the Town of Creston on a daily basis. Access to shelter is a human right.”
Housing becomes an issue
On May 24, the first of the panel series provided more local context, such as when housing concerns first began to surface in the community back in 2007.
After a community forum, the Creston Valley Community Housing Society (CVCHS) was founded to address these issues the following year.
Seventeen years later, longtime member Heather More reflects on how far the community has come — and how far it still has to go.
More’s journey into housing advocacy began after her time working with the Kootenai Community Centre Society on domestic and gender-based violence.
“It was so obvious that to solve any of our problems, we need a safe place to stay,” she said. “A safe, healthy, affordable place — because otherwise nothing good happens.”
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