.
I’m blaming the 1950s …. Yes, it is considered to be the best time in our history. A post-war economic boom meant lots of jobs, if a person (specifically a man) wanted to work there was more than enough to go around. The only homeless back then were drunks, drug addicts and drop outs (hobos and beatnik writers). A man could start with very little and build great wealth with nothing more than sweat and persistence. You could start in the mail room at a company and find a seat in the vice president’s office during your 30 year tenure, before retiring comfortably. The things that were wrong with the 50s… the 60s-90s worked vigorously to address, racial and gender equality has made great strides. The rights of the individual to safety and dignity, in society and within the home are now protected under law.
My problem is with the way the good old days have coloured or attitudes, our world view and our expectations. The homeless of the 1950s represents only 30% of today’s homeless population. In 1950 the mentally ill and infirmed were hospitalized. Better than today's lack of facilities and structure which leaves this population accounting for 20% of Canada’s homeless. There are a couple of city’s doing an excellent job of providing supportive housing, kudos to E4C of Edmonton Albert.
The other 50% of homeless are just poor… minimum wage earners, single parents on assistance, pensioners, and large families. True in 1950 people did alright on minimum wage which was only $0.65 an hour. You heard me right, sixty-five cents. A loaf of bread was 5 cents… a bus ride was 5 cents …a movie with pop corn was a quarter (25 cents). So a person earning minimum wage could ride the bus, take in a movie, ride home and bring a loaf of bread with him… and still have money for 2 Coney dogs at the McKellar Confectionary (not bad for an hours work). Today a bus ride is $2.50, the movie $20, a bus home $2.50 the loaf of bread $3; let’s add the 2 hotdogs that’s another $7. $35 THIRTY FIVE DOLLARS that is 3x the minimum wage in Ontario and 4x the minimum wage for Alberta. Let me be very clear increasing minimum wage is NOT the solution… minimum wage goes up…prices go up and the poverty just continues.
Thanks to the affluence of the 1950’s we still cling to the delusion that money = success=happiness. Since the economic shifts of the 80s and 90s one can no longer build great wealth without serious money with which to prime the pump. Today’s barons either have family wealth (or wealthy backers) or gain their foothold through exploitation enterprises like buying up foreclosures, or providing payday loans or buying your family treasures for pennies on the dollar. But not to worry there is always the lottery or… "The Secret" by the way, manifestation was intended for benefiting the universe, not to get you a private jet, but that's another discussion. Since, so few of us can actually have wealth; we keep ourselves in the chasing happiness game through credit. Let it go already …this is the 21st century… if the people in your life are only there because of your stuff; you should probably get rid of them and the stuff.
Thanks to the black and white sitcoms we all labour under the misguided notion that life should be perfect; free of any hardships, struggles, losses or challenges. But these hardships are what build us; through our pain we can gain strength and confidence and learn compassion toward the trials of others. Surviving (childhood abuse, teen pregnancy, single parenting, divorce, illness, death, depression, deferring your personal goals until the kids are grown, re-educating, changing professions) is not heroism …this is just living your life. My sainted old granny would say “shit happens …deal with it”. Stop trying to live up to imaginary lives…reality will always fall short, instead take another piece of advice from granny, “no matter how bad things get you don’t got to look too far to find somebody worse off than you.”
P.S.
Just an interesting note Robert Young (Dad Jim Anderson of Father Knows Best fame) died an alcoholic. And here’s an interesting quote from Billy Grey who played the son on that show.
[On his "Father Knows Best" (1954) years,] "I wish there was some way I could tell kids not to believe it - the dialogue, the situations, the characters - they were all totally false. The show did everybody a disservice. The girls were always trained to use their feminine wiles, to pretend to be helpless to attract men. The show contributed to a lot of the problems between men and women that we see today....I think we were all well motivated, but what we did was run a hoax. "Father Knows Best" (1954) purported to be a reasonable facsimile of life. And the bad thing is that the model is so deceitful.....If I could say anything to make up for all the years I lent myself to that kind of bullshit, it would be: *You* Know Best."
The attitudes and mythology of the 1950s belong in the world of nostalgia … Reality requires new solutions applicable to the new situation which western society has to deal with in the 21st century.
Have a joyous day my friends... we'll talk again soon.
.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Just an Old Fashioned Girl
.
There was an interesting story in the “O” online newsletter this week about a woman who formally adopted a 22 year old U.S. marine. It seems she was a social worker with child services when she met the boy and became interested in his future. She took him along on family outings and invited him to holiday dinners. She welcomed this troubled kid into her heart and into her home and he grew-up to be a young man she can be proud of. Now the family has formalized that relationship with an adoption.
This story reminds me of my first experience as a ward of the crown (yes I too had a misspent youth LOL) many decades ago. My case worker was a woman named Margie Grant, she was only 10 years my senior and I didn’t have a lot of respect for her authority… like many of my street friends it is hard to imagine any real understanding from someone who has never lived in your world. What Margie brought to the table was a genuine love for her clients… I never doubted this was a person who actually gave a crap about me. My second daughter is named for this lovely woman, and any time I am in B.C. a visit to the sunshine coast is at the top of my list. Margie and her husband Michael took in many kids over the years, changing each one of us for the better… love will do that ;-).
I often speak of “Freestyle Social Work”, it is the way Margie and the woman in the article practiced social work… fearlessly and openly caring about their clients. Today agencies are paralyzed with fear of litigation or public (mis)perception; staff is mandated not to get too close with their clients. Simple social niceties, sitting down for a cup of coffee, or giving someone a lift in the rain can get you fired, if that someone happens to be a client. Because of support from my immediate supervisors (Tim Gorman & Greg Smith two of the best role models I could have hoped for) I was given a little more freedom regarding client interactions than is usual for someone in my position. Now that I have been working freestyle for a couple of years I don’t know too many agencies I could work under, 454 in Ottawa, Bissell in Edmonton, The DI in Calgary , so far that is the whole list.
Last week I was sitting in a local soup kitchen after lunch and struck up a conversation with the person at the next table…Their personal struggle had been going on for many years and they were at the end of their rope. During our conversation I was able to provide contact information to useful agencies, with advice on approaching these places to get the necessary services. But I was also able to share insight on matters physical and metaphysical which could influence their perspective. And fortunately I was also able to give them some insight into the medical options around their issue. This person would never have sought out the counsellor's office, that is why I like outreach. We spent 2 hours together over a cup of coffee… that is freestyle social work. Doing whatever you are capable of (not whatever you are allowed to) to help your client friends. I don’t believe we can truly know someone or what they need unless we are willing to open up and be a friend. I guess I’m just old fashioned that way… thanks to my friend Margie Grant.
Have a joyous day everyone
.
There was an interesting story in the “O” online newsletter this week about a woman who formally adopted a 22 year old U.S. marine. It seems she was a social worker with child services when she met the boy and became interested in his future. She took him along on family outings and invited him to holiday dinners. She welcomed this troubled kid into her heart and into her home and he grew-up to be a young man she can be proud of. Now the family has formalized that relationship with an adoption.
This story reminds me of my first experience as a ward of the crown (yes I too had a misspent youth LOL) many decades ago. My case worker was a woman named Margie Grant, she was only 10 years my senior and I didn’t have a lot of respect for her authority… like many of my street friends it is hard to imagine any real understanding from someone who has never lived in your world. What Margie brought to the table was a genuine love for her clients… I never doubted this was a person who actually gave a crap about me. My second daughter is named for this lovely woman, and any time I am in B.C. a visit to the sunshine coast is at the top of my list. Margie and her husband Michael took in many kids over the years, changing each one of us for the better… love will do that ;-).
I often speak of “Freestyle Social Work”, it is the way Margie and the woman in the article practiced social work… fearlessly and openly caring about their clients. Today agencies are paralyzed with fear of litigation or public (mis)perception; staff is mandated not to get too close with their clients. Simple social niceties, sitting down for a cup of coffee, or giving someone a lift in the rain can get you fired, if that someone happens to be a client. Because of support from my immediate supervisors (Tim Gorman & Greg Smith two of the best role models I could have hoped for) I was given a little more freedom regarding client interactions than is usual for someone in my position. Now that I have been working freestyle for a couple of years I don’t know too many agencies I could work under, 454 in Ottawa, Bissell in Edmonton, The DI in Calgary , so far that is the whole list.
Last week I was sitting in a local soup kitchen after lunch and struck up a conversation with the person at the next table…Their personal struggle had been going on for many years and they were at the end of their rope. During our conversation I was able to provide contact information to useful agencies, with advice on approaching these places to get the necessary services. But I was also able to share insight on matters physical and metaphysical which could influence their perspective. And fortunately I was also able to give them some insight into the medical options around their issue. This person would never have sought out the counsellor's office, that is why I like outreach. We spent 2 hours together over a cup of coffee… that is freestyle social work. Doing whatever you are capable of (not whatever you are allowed to) to help your client friends. I don’t believe we can truly know someone or what they need unless we are willing to open up and be a friend. I guess I’m just old fashioned that way… thanks to my friend Margie Grant.
Have a joyous day everyone
.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
HAPPY CANADA DAY
.
Canada Day is almost over… the “pop… pop… pop… boom” …of the fireworks has stopped now; all that is left are the sounds of the city traffic. Sirens blasting as various emergency response vehicles race to someone’s rescue. Car radio’s thumping baselines which rattle the walls or my tiny main street apartment. Basically the night has returned to normal.
An hour ago I sat on the daybed (just me and the cockroaches) listening to the Canada Day celebrations outside of my window. Mostly pops, bangs and whistles offered the only indication of the festivities; but every few minutes one of the missiles would burst open just above the billboard, which provides the vista from my penthouse suite (150sq ft bachelor on the top floor of a 100 year old building struggling not to be a tenement LOL). Though the colourful display was somewhat diminished by the street lights, still there was enough to enjoy and remember previous Canada Day celebrations.
My first Canada Day on the road, I was living at the WEAC (women’s emergency accommodation centre) in Edmonton at the foot of Boyle Street. The staff opened the rooftop patio so we could go up and watch the explosions of colour against the velvet back drop of the night sky. Best seats in the house or at least pretty close and no charge. I loved my time in Edmonton; the city has a great sense of community rivaled only by the DTES (downtown east side) of Vancouver. In all of my travels these two places seem to be best at collaborating with agencies and the homeless populations to build a working relationship and develop some real solutions for reducing the problem.
Last year I spent Canada Day in Ad Sum House in Halifax…although no special effort was made, my room happened to be at the back of the building, facing the harbour… So once again I had an amazing view of the fireworks. Bursts of colour, reflecting in the water, raining down and collapsing into itself. How could you not love this country?
Canada Day has a way of reminding me that for all of our flaw and failings, there is no place in the world that has as much right with it as Canada and no place I would rather live then here among her people. Have a joyous year my friends.
.
Canada Day is almost over… the “pop… pop… pop… boom” …of the fireworks has stopped now; all that is left are the sounds of the city traffic. Sirens blasting as various emergency response vehicles race to someone’s rescue. Car radio’s thumping baselines which rattle the walls or my tiny main street apartment. Basically the night has returned to normal.
An hour ago I sat on the daybed (just me and the cockroaches) listening to the Canada Day celebrations outside of my window. Mostly pops, bangs and whistles offered the only indication of the festivities; but every few minutes one of the missiles would burst open just above the billboard, which provides the vista from my penthouse suite (150sq ft bachelor on the top floor of a 100 year old building struggling not to be a tenement LOL). Though the colourful display was somewhat diminished by the street lights, still there was enough to enjoy and remember previous Canada Day celebrations.
My first Canada Day on the road, I was living at the WEAC (women’s emergency accommodation centre) in Edmonton at the foot of Boyle Street. The staff opened the rooftop patio so we could go up and watch the explosions of colour against the velvet back drop of the night sky. Best seats in the house or at least pretty close and no charge. I loved my time in Edmonton; the city has a great sense of community rivaled only by the DTES (downtown east side) of Vancouver. In all of my travels these two places seem to be best at collaborating with agencies and the homeless populations to build a working relationship and develop some real solutions for reducing the problem.
Last year I spent Canada Day in Ad Sum House in Halifax…although no special effort was made, my room happened to be at the back of the building, facing the harbour… So once again I had an amazing view of the fireworks. Bursts of colour, reflecting in the water, raining down and collapsing into itself. How could you not love this country?
Canada Day has a way of reminding me that for all of our flaw and failings, there is no place in the world that has as much right with it as Canada and no place I would rather live then here among her people. Have a joyous year my friends.
.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
The Cold War Re-examined
Since the end of the cold war between Russia and the US, we don’t hear much about the capitalism vs. communism debate any more. This past week I have had 3 such conversations, first the 9 year old I babysit suggested that Fidel Castro is a “bad guy”. Of course I had to explain that although the Americans (who had a lot of financial interests in Cuba pre-Castro) think he is a bad guy; many of the Cuban peasant population loved him. No one holds onto power for decades without the support of most of the people. Then I was talking with my daughter about capitalism (surprise I am not opposed to capitalism) and just a couple of days later I was discussing the nature of capitalism, limited vs. generated resources with my son. As an antipoverty activist it is for me to ponder, what the best is for people (particularly North American people) as a community. While no one should be without the basic necessities of life…neither should anyone be denied the opportunity to move forward with their life.
The problem I have with both communism and capitalism is the assumption that every person has the same needs and the same mindset and the same ability and the same opportunity and the same temperament. We view the world from our perspective and expect others to be like us… which would be great if we then treated everyone one else the way we wish to be treated.
Communism in principle allows for the collective wealth to be shared equally among the citizens. Everyone’s basic needs are provided for… while ignoring the fact that not everyone shares the same needs. Some people need a 3000 sq ft house to be comfortable while some of us only need a 300 sq ft apartment. There is no incentive under communism to be productive or innovative, which causes the population to stagnate.
Capitalism has become a dirty word probably because of its history, centuries of personal and corporate empires built on the exploitation of people and resources. In time, all such empires topple to revolution… in the olden days these men and their wealth fell to the sword and even today corrupt empires fall to unionization and public scrutiny. As with communism... capitalism fails to accept the many differences between individuals, (talents and limitations). It is a system which punishes people for being poor, and assigns worth to society based on personal wealth and property.
It is not the wealth (or the wealthy) which is bad… it is only the blind irresponsible pursuit of money for money’s sake which is unhealthy. I personally know many wonderful people who are extremely well off, they spend their much time and resources to bettering their communities. I also know many poor people who are of great value to our society, giving of time, energy and talent to make a difference in the lives of others. Knowing that wealth is power and with power comes responsibility makes for good capitalism. Capitalists produce needed (or indulgent) goods and services, which through free market enterprise provide the means to comfortably support themselves and their families. The good capitalist pays a fair wage to employees so they can also provide for their families. Good capitalists, provide their service or product, at a reasonable and justifiable cost to the consumer.
I guess the message here is that Capitalism can evolve into something truly good when everyone acts with responsibility and compassion. Creating a community where everyone has enough of the material world to be safe and comfortable… (whatever that means to each person). Have a joyous day my friends and we will talk again soon.
The problem I have with both communism and capitalism is the assumption that every person has the same needs and the same mindset and the same ability and the same opportunity and the same temperament. We view the world from our perspective and expect others to be like us… which would be great if we then treated everyone one else the way we wish to be treated.
Communism in principle allows for the collective wealth to be shared equally among the citizens. Everyone’s basic needs are provided for… while ignoring the fact that not everyone shares the same needs. Some people need a 3000 sq ft house to be comfortable while some of us only need a 300 sq ft apartment. There is no incentive under communism to be productive or innovative, which causes the population to stagnate.
Capitalism has become a dirty word probably because of its history, centuries of personal and corporate empires built on the exploitation of people and resources. In time, all such empires topple to revolution… in the olden days these men and their wealth fell to the sword and even today corrupt empires fall to unionization and public scrutiny. As with communism... capitalism fails to accept the many differences between individuals, (talents and limitations). It is a system which punishes people for being poor, and assigns worth to society based on personal wealth and property.
It is not the wealth (or the wealthy) which is bad… it is only the blind irresponsible pursuit of money for money’s sake which is unhealthy. I personally know many wonderful people who are extremely well off, they spend their much time and resources to bettering their communities. I also know many poor people who are of great value to our society, giving of time, energy and talent to make a difference in the lives of others. Knowing that wealth is power and with power comes responsibility makes for good capitalism. Capitalists produce needed (or indulgent) goods and services, which through free market enterprise provide the means to comfortably support themselves and their families. The good capitalist pays a fair wage to employees so they can also provide for their families. Good capitalists, provide their service or product, at a reasonable and justifiable cost to the consumer.
I guess the message here is that Capitalism can evolve into something truly good when everyone acts with responsibility and compassion. Creating a community where everyone has enough of the material world to be safe and comfortable… (whatever that means to each person). Have a joyous day my friends and we will talk again soon.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Spring is Sprung
Easter weekend and I have a few days off … so Happy Easter weekend everyone and enjoy whatever down time this allows you.
Yesterday a man was standing on the street corner handing out a 500 word essay reminding people that Easter is about Jesus NOT about eggs and bunnies. I didn’t have the heart to tell him, that it was about eggs and bunnies … long before we (western Europeans / Christians) hijacked the holiday for our own use. The Christians whom I know have mixed feelings about the holiday. Some take it as a commemoration of Jesus’ death and it is for them, a time of sadness and remembrance. For others it is focused on the empty tomb/ the resurrection and Easter is therefore a time of great joy. The promise of resurrection and eternal life is probably the most significant doctrine in Christendom. It is pretty much the one constant through the thousands of divisions within Christianity… for all the disagreement of organized religion, death, rebirth and resurrection / ascension (physically or metaphysically) are agreed upon by all Christian churches.
Personally I’m an old-fashioned girl; I like the bunnies, the chocolate eggs, and celebration of the awakening and fertility of the coming spring. Yes, I will attend church, but that is less a custom in my world then the watching of Jesus Christ Superstar, which I do every Easter.
Traditions are important, ritual and celebration have their place in our lives and in our culture; but nothing is more important than the way we live day to day. Walk the Talk. So whether you are celebrating the resurgence of life from nature or the resurrection of Jesus from the tomb; have a joyous Easter and a bountiful year ahead.
.
Yesterday a man was standing on the street corner handing out a 500 word essay reminding people that Easter is about Jesus NOT about eggs and bunnies. I didn’t have the heart to tell him, that it was about eggs and bunnies … long before we (western Europeans / Christians) hijacked the holiday for our own use. The Christians whom I know have mixed feelings about the holiday. Some take it as a commemoration of Jesus’ death and it is for them, a time of sadness and remembrance. For others it is focused on the empty tomb/ the resurrection and Easter is therefore a time of great joy. The promise of resurrection and eternal life is probably the most significant doctrine in Christendom. It is pretty much the one constant through the thousands of divisions within Christianity… for all the disagreement of organized religion, death, rebirth and resurrection / ascension (physically or metaphysically) are agreed upon by all Christian churches.
Personally I’m an old-fashioned girl; I like the bunnies, the chocolate eggs, and celebration of the awakening and fertility of the coming spring. Yes, I will attend church, but that is less a custom in my world then the watching of Jesus Christ Superstar, which I do every Easter.
Traditions are important, ritual and celebration have their place in our lives and in our culture; but nothing is more important than the way we live day to day. Walk the Talk. So whether you are celebrating the resurgence of life from nature or the resurrection of Jesus from the tomb; have a joyous Easter and a bountiful year ahead.
.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Stand by Me
.
Advocacy….advocate….to speak for or on behalf of another. I have over the past few years become an advocate for affordable housing. My initial thinking on this is, “Get poor people to hell out of the shelters so that resources (human & other) can be used to help street people. This is the population shelters were built for.” Beyond that, are the obvious benefits for taxpayers, community and individuals; which I have blogged about before or you can go the Calgary Homeless Foundation (or your city’s 10 year plan to end homelessness) to get detailed stats.
Today I am talking about advocacy… My website and blog advocate for Canada’s homeless and street people by giving you information and insights which you may not happen across elsewhere in your day. I have often advocated for clients, with other social workers, agencies or the administration at the D.I. (Calgary Drop-In). Now I am taking on my biggest challenge yet… I will have to advocate for a young friend through his most recent encounter with the legal system. This will require an ongoing commitment of months or even years, what can I say... I don’t give up easily. I think this challenge actually began three months ago when my friend came to join me from Alberta. It has been an emotional rollercoaster, FYI… I do not like roller coasters and the ride isn't over yet LOL.
I’ve only been in Hamilton for 6 months so my knowledge of resources is limited. I need a psychologist or psychiatrist who will treat him on an ongoing basis and a really good lawyer practicing criminal law, who would be willing to work on a legal aid ticket. If you know someone like this, or are someone like this, I can be emailed through contact@angelsoftheroad.com . As you all know Angels of the Road in not money making venture. And of course there is no handing off of responsibility for providing personal support, weekly (or more) visits to the jail, letters of encouragement, liaising with professionals and keeping up our church attendance (probably the hardest given my Buddhist leanings). But, my friend is Christian, and we attended All Nations Church together (and I alone since) until a few weeks ago.
Commitment is so important in human relationships. First and foremost to ourselves and our purpose, do all that you can do before giving up on anything and you will never have to look back with regret. When we value others (spouse, children, family, friends, co-workers or clients) they come to see themselves through our eyes and learn, over time, to value themselves (a little tougher with street people). To commit your acceptance, your love and your time someone (anyone) is the most important gift you will ever give. My directive to you is that you touch the world gently, speak softly… treat everyone with kindness and respect. Have a joyous day my friends.
.
Advocacy….advocate….to speak for or on behalf of another. I have over the past few years become an advocate for affordable housing. My initial thinking on this is, “Get poor people to hell out of the shelters so that resources (human & other) can be used to help street people. This is the population shelters were built for.” Beyond that, are the obvious benefits for taxpayers, community and individuals; which I have blogged about before or you can go the Calgary Homeless Foundation (or your city’s 10 year plan to end homelessness) to get detailed stats.
Today I am talking about advocacy… My website and blog advocate for Canada’s homeless and street people by giving you information and insights which you may not happen across elsewhere in your day. I have often advocated for clients, with other social workers, agencies or the administration at the D.I. (Calgary Drop-In). Now I am taking on my biggest challenge yet… I will have to advocate for a young friend through his most recent encounter with the legal system. This will require an ongoing commitment of months or even years, what can I say... I don’t give up easily. I think this challenge actually began three months ago when my friend came to join me from Alberta. It has been an emotional rollercoaster, FYI… I do not like roller coasters and the ride isn't over yet LOL.
I’ve only been in Hamilton for 6 months so my knowledge of resources is limited. I need a psychologist or psychiatrist who will treat him on an ongoing basis and a really good lawyer practicing criminal law, who would be willing to work on a legal aid ticket. If you know someone like this, or are someone like this, I can be emailed through contact@angelsoftheroad.com . As you all know Angels of the Road in not money making venture. And of course there is no handing off of responsibility for providing personal support, weekly (or more) visits to the jail, letters of encouragement, liaising with professionals and keeping up our church attendance (probably the hardest given my Buddhist leanings). But, my friend is Christian, and we attended All Nations Church together (and I alone since) until a few weeks ago.
Commitment is so important in human relationships. First and foremost to ourselves and our purpose, do all that you can do before giving up on anything and you will never have to look back with regret. When we value others (spouse, children, family, friends, co-workers or clients) they come to see themselves through our eyes and learn, over time, to value themselves (a little tougher with street people). To commit your acceptance, your love and your time someone (anyone) is the most important gift you will ever give. My directive to you is that you touch the world gently, speak softly… treat everyone with kindness and respect. Have a joyous day my friends.
.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
From a dream to a reality.
My last blog reminded me it has been a long time since we talked about affordable housing. I am typing this with one hand because I am using the other (fortunately my non-dominate left hand) to hold my a/c adapter cord at the optimal angle to sustain power to my laptop.
Back to the subject for today…. Taking affordable housing from a dream to a reality. There are several options for affordable housing, some are better than others. As most of you know my preference is to see cities partnering with Habitat for Humanity. Habitat provides affordable home ownership through donated materials, volunteer labour and expertise, as well as the sweat equity of the future owners. The system is self-regulating; the required 500 hours of sweat equity insures the commitment of those on the list. One complaint about Habitat's program is that they only take low income (working poor) families and persons with physical disabilities. Habitat homes are a scarce resource and as with all scarce commodities, there is a triage in place to see that it is assigned to the best possible use. The reason Habitat homes are scarce is due to a lack of land to build on. Almost all money from fundraising goes to the purchase of land.
Social housing built, owned and operated by cities / provinces is the most expensive and least sustainable of affordable housing options. I was raised in Social Housing. Built to the lowest possible standards, it is fraught with repair problems. As tenants the occupants are NOT allowed to maintain the building and the city is slow to assign a maintenance crew to clear up problem. Out of sight… out of mind. Subsidized housing is privately owned and by agreement with the government a potion of the rent is covered by tax dollars. The problem is that these units are often being listed at well above the actual market value. Gouging the government / taxpayers out of huge amounts of money every year. These units, also, are often poorly maintained… the occupants feel fortunate to have a roof over their heads and often fear eviction if they complain. One option which is proving useful is the involvement of Not-for-profit agencies in creating rental properties to accommodate singles and small families who are not ready (for whatever reason) to assume the responsibility of home ownership.The Calgary Homeless Fondation and E4C in Edmonton are two good examples of this kind of work. The Calgary Drop-In is making some inroads in this regard, but reviews are mixed on that project. This is something new to the shelter industry, but given the high numbers of homeless in Canada every effort should be welcomed.
So I encourage every person, corporation and government level in this country to put as much land as possible into the hands of Habitat for Humanity… donate or just lease… doesn’t matter which. It is time to stop studying the problem. Let us put down our pens… pick up our hammers and build a society where everyone can live in safety and dignity.
Back to the subject for today…. Taking affordable housing from a dream to a reality. There are several options for affordable housing, some are better than others. As most of you know my preference is to see cities partnering with Habitat for Humanity. Habitat provides affordable home ownership through donated materials, volunteer labour and expertise, as well as the sweat equity of the future owners. The system is self-regulating; the required 500 hours of sweat equity insures the commitment of those on the list. One complaint about Habitat's program is that they only take low income (working poor) families and persons with physical disabilities. Habitat homes are a scarce resource and as with all scarce commodities, there is a triage in place to see that it is assigned to the best possible use. The reason Habitat homes are scarce is due to a lack of land to build on. Almost all money from fundraising goes to the purchase of land.
Social housing built, owned and operated by cities / provinces is the most expensive and least sustainable of affordable housing options. I was raised in Social Housing. Built to the lowest possible standards, it is fraught with repair problems. As tenants the occupants are NOT allowed to maintain the building and the city is slow to assign a maintenance crew to clear up problem. Out of sight… out of mind. Subsidized housing is privately owned and by agreement with the government a potion of the rent is covered by tax dollars. The problem is that these units are often being listed at well above the actual market value. Gouging the government / taxpayers out of huge amounts of money every year. These units, also, are often poorly maintained… the occupants feel fortunate to have a roof over their heads and often fear eviction if they complain. One option which is proving useful is the involvement of Not-for-profit agencies in creating rental properties to accommodate singles and small families who are not ready (for whatever reason) to assume the responsibility of home ownership.The Calgary Homeless Fondation and E4C in Edmonton are two good examples of this kind of work. The Calgary Drop-In is making some inroads in this regard, but reviews are mixed on that project. This is something new to the shelter industry, but given the high numbers of homeless in Canada every effort should be welcomed.
So I encourage every person, corporation and government level in this country to put as much land as possible into the hands of Habitat for Humanity… donate or just lease… doesn’t matter which. It is time to stop studying the problem. Let us put down our pens… pick up our hammers and build a society where everyone can live in safety and dignity.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)