[Newsbot]

Title: 1,006 units to be built for Vancouver homeless
Category: Misc CDN
Posted By: wildrosegirl
Date: 2010-05-25 15:50:37
Canadian

[Brenda]

What does this mean? Units? Does that mean housing, or does it mean shelter?

[Wada]

Not everyone is as lucky as you Rusty!

[Freakinoldguy]

And the best part is the rest of the Province gets to pay for this yet again, to the tune of 205 Million or likely closer to a billion given the cost overruns that you can expect for Vancouver.

You've gotta love Gordo, and his delusional claim that every project in the Lower Mainland benefits the rest of the Province.

That being said, if I have to pay for this project, I'd like to know what the rules and regulations are for occupancy of these houses?

I have no problem with the concept if it gets people off the street, but, unless they get them off drugs and ensure they have a job to help offset the cost of these housing units, this is another giant feel good waste of taxpayers money that won't benefit anyone.

[Brenda]

$1:

That being said, if I have to pay for this project, I'd like to know what the rules and regulations are for occupancy of these houses?

So am I.
Is it for homeless who choose to be? Or for poor families who are kicked out of their houses because they couldn't afford their rent? Or for people whose landlord left their houses in abominal state?
Or for crackaddicts who now have an address and can get on welfare while doing whatever they are doing, but still cannot afford rent?

Who is it for?

[sandorski]

Brenda Brenda:

$1:

That being said, if I have to pay for this project, I'd like to know what the rules and regulations are for occupancy of these houses?

So am I.
Is it for homeless who choose to be? Or for poor families who are kicked out of their houses because they couldn't afford their rent? Or for people whose landlord left their houses in abominal state?
Or for crackaddicts who now have an address and can get on welfare while doing whatever they are doing, but still cannot afford rent?

Who is it for?

In the '80's, all across North America Governments closed down Mental Illness facilities and turned those people onto the Streets. So did BC. After that, Homelessness went from a Minor problem to a Major problem. Not all Homeless people are Mentally Ill, some certainly are simply Drug Addicts, but Mental Illness is a big part of the problem and is likely a big part of the Addict population as well.

[RUEZ]

Rustydowg Rustydowg:

More handouts eh! What ever happened pride in earning a wage and living somewhere you can afford. There are a lot cheaper places to live.

There's homeless here as well.

[Proculation]

Stupid...

[Freakinoldguy]

sandorski sandorski:

In the '80's, all across North America Governments closed down Mental Illness facilities and turned those people onto the Streets. So did BC. After that, Homelessness went from a Minor problem to a Major problem. Not all Homeless people are Mentally Ill, some certainly are simply Drug Addicts, but Mental Illness is a big part of the problem and is likely a big part of the Addict population as well.

Oh yea now I remember. They turned all the mentally ill people out onto the streets with their claim that, they wanted them to integrate into society, something they couldn't do when they were being housed and taken care of in a mental health facility.

But social housing aside, wasn't Campbell supposed to opening a large mental health facility in the lower mainland so these people had a place to go.

$1:

April 23, 2010 - NEW MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY OPENS

COQUITLAM – Health Services Minister Kevin Falcon today officially opened a new $9.4-million, 20-bed mental health rehabilitation facility that is providing residential specialized care in a supportive, community-like setting. [News Release]

Yup, 20 beds oughta do it. Well done Gordo.

[andyt]

Rustydowg Rustydowg:

More handouts eh! What ever happened pride in earning a wage and living somewhere you can afford. There are a lot cheaper places to live.

[andyt]

Brenda Brenda:

What does this mean? Units? Does that mean housing, or does it mean shelter?

It means housing ie somewhere people can live permanently. Since the provincial Liberals are footing a large part of the bill, I doubt these will be luxo suites a la athletes village. Good on the Libs, Vancouver council and the private organizations for getting this done. 1000 units should really make a dent on homelessnes, help some people actually find their way back to having a job etc, and keep the rest from causing so much trouble. I hope that the money is also there to maintain these units, and better yet have support services in place to help these people, so they don't just wind up trashing the place.

I'm way down on Campbell's Liberals, but this is one initiative I've got to give them props for. And it sounds like this time the scheme isn't in some distant future, but they'r ready to start building now.

This is also a very smart financial investment. This will save the province and city a fortune in health and policing costs.

[Dragom]

andyt andyt:

This is also a very smart financial investment. This will save the province and city a fortune in health and policing costs.

Well it's true, homelessness isn't very good for your health and police get kinda confused looking for someone when they aren't following addresses.

If they can throw in a shower and a phone line to each unit then it might actually cycle the more salvageable people off the bottom rung.

[QBall]

andyt andyt:

Brenda Brenda:

What does this mean? Units? Does that mean housing, or does it mean shelter?

It means housing ie somewhere people can live permanently. Since the provincial Liberals are footing a large part of the bill, I doubt these will be luxo suites a la athletes village.

Someone in the article posted an interesting comment. $333,400,000 divided by $1,575 units equals $211,683 per unit cost. That's about on par with the average cost to build high end condos in downtown Vancouver.

[andyt]

QBall QBall:

andyt andyt:

Brenda Brenda:

What does this mean? Units? Does that mean housing, or does it mean shelter?

It means housing ie somewhere people can live permanently. Since the provincial Liberals are footing a large part of the bill, I doubt these will be luxo suites a la athletes village.

Someone in the article posted an interesting comment. $333,400,000 divided by $1,575 units equals $211,683 per unit cost. That's about on par with the average cost to build high end condos in downtown Vancouver.

Where do you get your info? That 200,000/unit is also what I've heard regarding subsidized housing. That's 1/2 to 1/3 of what the social housing units in False Creek cost. $200,000 just doesn't buy much in Vancouver these days. I just hope they do it right. If these are just self contained suites with no services provided to the residents, and they are used to house the truly troubled homeless, the suites will become uninhabitable in no time. To get truly homeless people, who don't function, off the street, it's better to give them a room in a place that's run like a boarding home, with supervision. That way they stay warm, can shower, get phone calls, and have somebody to make sure they take their meds etc. These units sound more like they're for people who need subsidized housing - ie working poor, people who can manage on their own.

[Freakinoldguy]

This is all very touchy feely but it still doesn't mitigate the fact that no one has answered the question about who gets these units, are the people who occupy them expected to help pay for them and what happens if you trash your tax payer supplied housing unit or turn it into crack central?

Until the Government of BC, the Mayor of Vancouver, and all the antihomeless organizations can answer these questions, i'll reserve judgement on whether these units will be a help in combating homelessness or just another band aid fix like the shooting galleries.