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Housing first
#1
"Housing First" is one of the approaches that has been proposed for addressing homelessness.

The Guardian has good coverage of how this is working in Helsinki:
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/...melessness
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#2
(06-05-2019, 10:29 PM)tomh009 Wrote: "Housing First" is one of the approaches that has been proposed for addressing homelessness.

The Guardian has good coverage of how this is working in Helsinki:
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/...melessness

"Housing First" is an excellent idea.  

Housing, like health care and education is a human right and should be enshrined in our constitution.  

As for the naysayers, sceptics and those who don't think we are our brother's/sister's keepers, I would like them to think about what this wise, old, expression means:  "There, but for the grace of God, go I".   And no, I am not religious (no faith and don't believe in sky pixies) but I consider this expression invaluable in my daily like.
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#3
(06-05-2019, 10:29 PM)tomh009 Wrote: "Housing First" is one of the approaches that has been proposed for addressing homelessness.

The Guardian has good coverage of how this is working in Helsinki:
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/...melessness

You'd really have to change the mentality of people in this country to do something like this. You'd be throwing billions to solve the issues, but there would likely be a net savings when all is said and done.

1) Spend money on housing.
2) Spend money on mental health care.
3) Spend money on SIS and free hard drugs, like heroine, like what they do for some in Vancouver.

Your savings though come in by; less incarceration (which is super expensive!!). You save too because many of these people will eventually lead a normal life, even if limited. You save money too by using EMS, and hospital services a lot less.

But it's wrapping our heads around the concept of housing for everyone that is hard. And they training and work that goes along with it (to keep housing safe and clean).

I was actually thinking of housing today when I drove by the apartment/condo's being built on International Place. It's all pre-fab. Would a crown corporation or NGO non-profit not be able to set something like this up to building units quickly and inexpensively? They could have manufacturers around the country, and construction crews, creating thousands of good paying jobs, but no top heavy management and profits. At the same time, creating thousands of units yearly at a great price.

And, I'd take it a step further, allow some sort of ownership, like what Habitat for Humanity does.

There are solutions, but they'd probably not be popular because many don't like the idea of certain types of people getting 'freebies' when they have to work their ass off to make a living. But I think for society, at the end of the day, would be safer and much better.

IMHO, of course
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#4
I usually don’t agree with you but you’re spot-on here.  Of course, this would have to be a national project for obvious reasons.  If this happened only in a few cities they would be overwhelmed by people in need.
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#5
The problem is, many people, now matter how much they may protest it, are more concerned with ensuring people they view as "lazy" or "flawed" or "bad" get "what they deserve" (by their definition).

This is how we get people who honestly believe the best policy to "help" the homeless is to not help them, as this "encourages" them too do something else.

It's a core identity issue, people see what they have as something they have earned (no matter how much help they actually got from society and privileges), if people were to get something they have without earning it, for some people, this threatens their identity.

That is the belief we must get past.
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#6
Based on the article, it is clearly possible for humans to get past that belief. And we have the same kind of humans here in Waterloo Region.
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#7
(06-08-2019, 09:13 PM)tomh009 Wrote: Based on the article, it is clearly possible for humans to get past that belief. And we have the same kind of humans here in Waterloo Region.

It is, and it has happened, even in Canada.

But that doesn't make it easy.
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#8
Medicine Hat, Alberta Becomes First Canadian City To End Homelessness
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#9
(06-09-2019, 09:29 AM)Acitta Wrote: Medicine Hat, Alberta Becomes First Canadian City To End Homelessness

Excellent -- it's a Canadian example. (And a local initiative, rather than a national one which would be far more difficult to kick off.)

A key quote from the article:

Quote:In 2009, the city began building new homes for the homeless and has since moved nearly 900 people off the streets. Really, it all comes down to economics: An individual living on the streets costs the city about $100,000, compared to about $20,000 to house the individual. Since adopting Housing First, police calls about homeless people and emergency room visits have decreased dramatically.

I wonder how hard it would be to quantify the costs for the people living on the streets in Waterloo Region?
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#10
I am all for this, even if it requires an increase in my taxes.

A drastic step like this needs to be taken, having stable housing builds a base for the homeless from which they can (hopefully) improve their lives and end their cycle of poverty. While some may snicker and note that the system may be abused by the lazy, these same lazy people would be gaming government programs anyway. Nothing changes in that regard.
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