A Good Start

April 29, 2010
The Calgary Herald ran an article on 4/24/10 which states that the shelter numbers have been reduced by 4-10% in each of five months (Nov 09- Mar 10) over the same months a year ago. There are many reasons for this but first and foremost I want to thank the Calgary Homeless Foundation’s re-housing initiatives. The partnership of the Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness is also beginning to have an impact. The Mustard Seed and D.I. have contributed subsidized apartment units for abstinent clients; I think these units are considered transitional. As I have said in the past, “let’s house everyone we possibly can and that will free shelter staff to work with the street people, for whom the shelter system was designed”.
The only real solution to homelessness is AFFORDABLE HOUSING…. home ownership which requires no more than 35% of a person’s income. People often quote to me from the bible, “The poor will always be among us”. True. We should accept the existence of poverty but that doesn’t permit us to ignore the struggles of the poor. Nor does that absolve us from our responsibility to give aid and comfort to our fellow humans.
Conspiracy theorists tell me that fiscal oppression is necessary because the economic elite need cheap labour. FALSE. The fiscal oppression is not necessary or even desirable. Yes, we as a community need our cheap labour, but the best way to insure an ongoing supply, is to make a place within our communities for low income people. AFFORDABLE HOUSING allows every person the disposable income necessary to enjoy a quality of life which includes independence, dignity and even a few creature comforts. My essay “Money Talks” lays out the financial benefit AFFORDABLE HOUSING would have for everyone (person & business) in your communities.
So people…. get behind the housing initiatives in your community… and ENJOY the prosperity. WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.