The Town of Essex is asking the OPP and the City of Windsor to respond to concerns about increased police calls and social housing placements.
Council unanimously approved a motion from Mayor Sherry Bondy Monday night requesting more theft-prevention efforts from the Essex County OPP Detachment Board North and a review of housing placement practices by Windsor, the service manager for social housing in Windsor-Essex.
Bondy said residents have raised concerns about conditions at Maplewood Apartments and Elroy Manor, where some tenants need additional mental health, addiction and security supports.
She says the issue isn’t housing itself, but making sure people receive the assistance they need.
“And that is housing that comes with mental health, addictions, crisis, security at night, and we’re not getting that,” Bondy said. “That’s leading to an abundance of OPP calls monthly, which is hard on our municipal resources, driving up our policing bills.”
Bondy said the lack of supports is driving up police calls, straining municipal resources and affecting the quality of life for other tenants.
“When people are scared to leave their apartments because of other people living there, that is not okay,” she said.
“So asking the OPP to be attentive. Sometimes I’ve heard that when people call, they don’t get the response that they need. It’s minimized and that’s not something I want to hear either.”
Ward 1 coun. Katie McGuire-Blais supported a review of housing placement practices by the City of Windsor.
“Here in Essex we just don’t have the same resources that say Leamington or Windsor has for some of the people who are using the housing. So I think that needs to be taken a look at and some more care needs to be taken a look at where people are being housed to make sure that the community is fitting the need,” McGuire-Blais said.
Council also discussed whether increased police attention could eventually affect policing costs.
Administration said any budget implications would have to come from the OPP and could be discussed when the police service appears before council next month.