Demand for space at the temporary shelters continues, so they must stay open, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson says. (CBC)

Two controversial temporary shelters in the Beach Avenue area need to remain open at least until next spring, Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said Friday.

The shelters were opened during last year's cold snap, with little public consultation, and area residents are unhappy about the situation.

At a town hall meeting on Thursday night, about 200 area residents gathered to voice their displeasure with the city's decision, saying shelter users are aggressive and doing drugs, and their neighbourhood is suffering as a result.

"How is this possible," one woman asked of city officials who attended the meeting, "when our property is being used as toilets, injection sites and prostitution."

"I think it's a little too late for dialogue," added another to applause from the crowd. "I think it's pretty clear the sites have to go."

Some residents brought photographs depicting drug dealing, fights and even a man bringing an axe into one of the sites.

Robertson said that while he understands their concerns, the shelters need to remain open as long as there is demand.

"There's a whole bigger challenge that we face as a city in terms of having over 1,000 people sleeping outside and these shelters have been an emergency response to that," the mayor said. "They continue to be full, they continue to turn people away, so the problem has not gone away. In fact, it's still a severe problem."

Robertson said the city is trying to get funding from the province to keep the shelters open. He said there will be more public consultation if that happens, and the city will work to address the safety concerns or neighbourhood residents.