Contributed by Stephanie Gauthier
乌鸦传媒淚t just makes sense.乌鸦传媒�
That乌鸦传媒檚 how Tim Richter summarizes his call to end homelessness. He is the founder and CEO of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) and a national leader in the effort to end homelessness. For him, the path to solving homelessness lies through the Housing First approach.
乌鸦传媒淗ousing First is truth in advertising,乌鸦传媒� said Richter. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 saying 乌鸦传媒榣et乌鸦传媒檚 move someone directly from the street or a shelter into a home, with no preconditions. This approach is more humane, and it乌鸦传媒檚 also more effective.乌鸦传媒�
Under the Housing First approach, stable housing is the first step in the journey away from homelessness, not the last. Health, substance use, mental health, and other issues are addressed from that solid foundation of housing. Another is the fundamental recognition of humanity that乌鸦传媒檚 built into the approach.
乌鸦传媒淭his is a model that puts people back in the driver乌鸦传媒檚 seat of their own lives,乌鸦传媒� said Richter. 乌鸦传媒淎s long as we乌鸦传媒檙e pathologizing people, looking at what乌鸦传媒檚 wrong with them and what needs to be fixed, we乌鸦传媒檙e never going to solve the problem.乌鸦传媒�
This is where stigma becomes a barrier because it leads us to the opposite view. Stigma encourages us to doubt an individual乌鸦传媒檚 abilities and to limit their freedom and independence, rather than providing opportunities for them to take control of their lives. Solving homelessness takes a leap of faith, a willingness to see the possibility in someone despite their current circumstances.
乌鸦传媒淪tigma is about othering people,乌鸦传媒� added Richter. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 about treating people as different or flawed, and looking at homelessness as though it乌鸦传媒檚 that person乌鸦传媒檚 fault and not a systemic issue.乌鸦传媒�
Read More: Stigma remains for those experiencing homelessness in Kelowna
Ending homelessness is a daunting undertaking. Richter has no illusions about that, but he stays positive by focusing on the thousands of little successes that happen every day. Moncton, New Brunswick has reduced chronic homelessness by 10 percent, for example. Other communities have ended veteran homelessness. Richter said that there are two main arguments for ending homelessness.
乌鸦传媒淭he first is the moral argument and it says no one in Canada should die for the lack of a home, that no one should suffer needlessly. The other argument is a practical one. We乌鸦传媒檝e proven time and time again that it乌鸦传媒檚 cheaper to give a person a home than it is to have them bouncing aimlessly through expensive public systems, like jail, hospitals, the police, the courts - and meanwhile, they just keep getting sicker.乌鸦传媒�
The Homeless Hub estimates homelessness costs the Canadian economy $7 billion per year and calls for relatively modest spending increases to address the issue. The 7 Cities Initiative in Alberta, which housed 23,000 people between 2008 and 2018, saved an estimated $2.4 billion in provincial expenditures.
Richter is right. Solving homelessness makes sense. We have an approach that乌鸦传媒檚 been proven effective and we can all contribute by questioning our own views about homelessness and the people who experience it.
Read More: To end chronic homelessness in Kelowna more supportive housing needed
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