The issue of homelessness isn乌鸦传媒檛 just splashed across It乌鸦传媒檚 a reality we are increasingly being exposed to on all fronts.

The Linear Park homeless camp has helped in that regard 乌鸦传媒� bringing the homeless out of the shadows of Polson Park and into broad daylight on busy 25th Avenue.

But that is a positive thing because it乌鸦传媒檚 bringing more attention to the issue.

乌鸦传媒淭hey moved to a place that was a lot more public so I think it乌鸦传媒檚 shocking to see what乌鸦传媒檚 happening,乌鸦传媒� said Annette Sharkey with the Social Planning Council. 乌鸦传媒淭here乌鸦传媒檚 agreement throughout the community, whether you have empathy for the homeless population or maybe anger towards the homeless population, the agreement is this isn乌鸦传媒檛 OK.

乌鸦传媒淭here乌鸦传媒檚 a feeling now of we can乌鸦传媒檛 ignore this. It乌鸦传媒檚 not hidden.乌鸦传媒�

So while City of Vernon camping bylaws have done nothing to decrease the number of homeless individuals, they have brought more light to the issue.

What is needed to help our fellow citizens who are cast out in the cold is supportive housing.

乌鸦传媒淚f we had more supportive housing, we would be able to bring people in from the outside, give them a chance to stabilize and then be able to move on with their lives as they have more programming and supports,乌鸦传媒� said Sharkey, adding that there are approximately 470 supportive housing beds in Vernon. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 not actually a complicated issue. There乌鸦传媒檚 very straightforward solutions but really what that calls for is funding.乌鸦传媒�

Modular housing is one option, although Vernon is not currently identified as one of the communities to be included in such a program in B.C.

But that乌鸦传媒檚 because Vernon isn乌鸦传媒檛 the only community struggling.

乌鸦传媒淭his (homelessness) is a B.C.-wide problem,乌鸦传媒� said Starkey. 乌鸦传媒淭hat is partly why we have to be patient with these announcements.乌鸦传媒�

See story here: