People who live and work next to a low-barrier supportive housing complex at 844 Johnson St. say they are concerned for their safety after a resident of the building allegedly fired a pellet at a passing car, shattering a window.
A woman called police Tuesday afternoon after a pellet gun was fired at her car, leaving her with injuries from broken glass. A resident of the former Central Care Home was arrested, but Victoria police have not said if he has been charged.
Karina Sacca, whose law firm, Sacca Law Group, is at 834 Johnson St., said she was shaken to hear about the incident and was frustrated by the open drug dealing and drug use that takes place on the block.
Sacca said that on Thursday, in front of her business, a man was counting $100 bills while conducting a transaction with a woman. She asked them to move away from her door and the woman called her a vulgar name. Sacca said she is constantly finding needles around her flower boxes.
“It’s clear that the drug trafficking on this block has increased dramatically since the 844 opened up,” she said. “Why are there drug dealers prowling the street here constantly?”
Mark Karadimas, manager of A&D Glass at 818 Johnson St., who lives in a condo on the block, said things are “pretty crazy, but it’s always been crazy.”
Karadimas said the shelter is great for business because there are often calls about glass or windows being broken inside the building.
Sacca said she is sympathetic to those who are homeless or addicted, but those living in the building need better supports.
“It’s not just finding a shelter for people. I think the shelter has to go hand in hand with the level of support that’s necessary for the residents,” she said.
“Obviously, something is happening here. Why is there someone with a [pellet] gun shooting out a window at an innocent person driving by?”
Andy Bond, of PHS Community Services Society, which operates the building, said police were called as soon as staff suspected the shooter might be a tenant of the building.
“We share everybody’s concern for the person who was affected by the incident — it’s very unfortunate,” Bond said. “Obviously what the [shooter] did was wrong and potentially very dangerous.”
Bond said staff will look into whether the shooter was having a mental-health crisis.
“We’re rather surprised by the [actions] of the individual,” Bond said. “There’s no past incidents that would have made us think this would be something that would happen.”
The 147-unit building, known as the Johnson Street Community, opened last September, part of the B.C. government’s $26-million investment in social housing to relocate those living in a tent city on the courthouse lawn. The building has an overdose-prevention site and around-the-clock staff, including social workers and mental-health workers.
In January, Island Health and B.C. Housing provided funding for 24/7 security around the 800 blocks of Johnson Street and Pandora Avenue.
The manager at Ageless Living Market, across the street from the shelter, said she was not concerned because Victoria police officers are in the area daily. As she spoke, three police officers ate lunch in the health-food store.
Police calls to the 800-block of Johnson have more than doubled since the residence opened in September, but almost half the calls are related to overdoses and mental-health issues, not crime. In February, 32 of 109 calls were for public-disorder complaints — up from nine in February the year before — but calls reporting violence went down to one or two.
Victoria police did not respond to a request for an interview.
— with files from Sarah Petrescu
