I was reading the 24 free newspaper at the sky train and I read a poorly written article about solving the problems in the GVRD.
It's a good read, if you want to chuckle.
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Let's act on homeless- *note* Typo? That was the exact title, not homelessness.
by: Erin Airton
(RIGHT ON)*note* this was posted underneath her name as to signal her writters voice.
It is finally time for innovative solutions for the homeless in our province.
Years and years of throwing money at the problem hasn't worked - the number continues to grow and taxpayers are weary.
In fact, what we've done is develop a whole network of government and non-profit agencies devoted to helping the homeless stay homeless. They provide emergency food, shelter, and medical care. There is an old adage in economics: If you want to encourage something, subsidize it; if you want to discourage something tax it.
Right now, in a sad way, we are encouraging homelessness, making it "bearable" to be homeless by providing these "emergency" services.
Now, before you get all twisted up, I'm not saying it is pleasant to be homeless and I'm not saying anyone wants to be homeless.
But let's not forget we have built up a substantial industry of well-meaning people who make their livelihoods and defend their funding on the basis of supporting a homeless population.
The 2005 GVRD counted total homeless population (in a 24 hour counting period) at 2,174. I would suggest the number is higher, just because of survey techniques... Let's say 3000 people in the GVRD are homeless. These, of course, are the truely homeless without access to a friends spare sofa and not knowing from night to night whether they will be sleeping in a crowded, fetid shelter or over a vent at Georgia and Burrard.
From GVRD reasearch, they are likely medically or mentally ill and struggle with some form of addiction. Most startling was the information that 55 per cent of homeless had some form of welfare, a pension or disability benefits.
So here's one radical idea and I'm sure there are more.
Why don't we gather together each and every homeless service organization at B.C. Place along with each and every homeless person? Why not take each person, one at a time, diagnose the issue at the root of the inability to find or maintain housing and then put a planned place for each?
More money for homeless services isn't going to rid us of homelessness. In fact, it will do the opposite. If we take those funds and direct them to removing each person from the streets, we may actually make some lives better.
In short term, we can house them at BC place while we sort it all out.
It is not right to help people stay on the streets. The only morla course of action is to remove them, forcibly if necessary, and assist them in building a new life.
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Comment your hearts out bloggers
-Brent
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2 comments:
All I can say is at least it's a new suggestion, something we're in very short supply of right now.
We can "try harder" and "donate more" and hope that the situation improves, but that doesn't seem to be working.
Isn't it time for more drastic action? Despite Christ saying "the poor will always be with you", it doesn't have to be the case in Vancouver. A permanent solution *must* be found.
And we must keep in mind Airton is writing to the ignorant masses who simply avoid the DTES. Those in the SA *are* helping, so she's not really writing to you.
Yes, the only moral thing to do is to move them into BC Place, "forcibly if necessary." Horrible.
"Justice" can do a lot of damage when people forget that it is humans they are talking about. Airton may know some folk who are homeless, but it doesn't sound like it. I don't know anyone who would want to be forcibly moved into BC Place and then fixed or solved or whatever.
The unwritten assumption in this piece is that there is something wrong with homeless people, and that we, their compassionate superiors, must do something about them.
There is a correct assumption in this piece though, and it is that throwing money indiscriminately at the "problem" will fix nothing, and will (has) create(d) a state of dependency, both for those who are homeless and for the agencies depending on funding.
Authentic community seems to me to be the only way forward here. Community that actually values all involved as truly and fully human and capable of contributing, loving, and communicating their needs.
That and some systemic change. Why are people homeless?
Major reason number one: They can't afford homes.
Major reason number two: The homes some can afford are rat / bed-bug infested nightmares of drugs and prostitution.
Major reason number three: Mental illness and/or a background that has left them largely unable to navigate societal norms (thanks in large part to foster care abuse).
Major reason number four: Lack of treatment beds. You get out of detox and have to wait up to 3 weeks, on the street, to get into treatment. No way you last without relapsing.
Acting on these issues would require serious change, not just more money for hand outs. But it could have serious impact to actually increase the amount of livable, social housing units in Vancouver, to overhaul the foster care system (and to see Church folk starting to adopt "unwanted children"), to increase care for the mentally ill, and to connect detox and treatment facilities so there is an exponentially better chance at recovery.
Or we could just round them all up at BC Place...
Grace,
Aaron
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