Billet the homeless

[Barney Google]

What do you think of the Victoria Mayor's suggestion for residents to offer to billet the homeless?

Would you offer your spare room and provide food to a homeless person?

Thoughts?

[Lady tehMa]

Huh, wonder what kind of response she'll get.

https://www.castanet.net/news/BC/199638/Billet-the-homeless

Billet the homeless?
The Canadian Press - Jun 16, 2017 / 6:51 am

Victoria's mayor wants people to open their homes to those sleeping in parks and their cars because they can't afford or find accommodation.

Lisa Helps said residents in the city opened their homes to workers during the Second World War and people should considering doing it again for the hundreds of people who can't find a place to stay.

"What if there was a way to connect people living in vehicles, in motel rooms, on couches, with seniors living in large houses all alone, with retirees with an extra bedroom, or even with families with large houses and extra rooms?" Helps said in a blog post.

Helps said in the past five years, 6,000 people have moved to Victoria but housing has been in short supply.

The city's vacancy rate stood at 0.5 per cent last December and the city has looked at a number of possible solutions to the housing crunch.

City council considered a moratorium Thursday on apartment building demolitions to ease the tight rental market.

I would have issues with this. Aside from not having the room, there is a trust issue. We're talking about opening our homes. Our refuges, our places of vulnerability. I don't do well with strangers in my home. Even visiting family can raise my anxiety, stress me out. But I have clinical depression, anxiety and am an introvert.

Still, I am sure that there are people that would (will?) do this, and kudos to you.

So - would you do this? Why or why not?

[Jonrox]

I don't like my own family staying with me for more than a couple of days... I'm sure not opening my doors to a stranger to live with us. My insurance company may take issue with it as well.

[techrtr]

No offence, but no way.
https://www.castanet.net/news/BC/199638/Billet-the-homeless

[Hassel99]

Only if I knew them, friend or family member down on thier luck......stranger? No.

[Fancy]

Thanks Fancy! I've merged them. :)

[kgcayenne]

I rented out space in my owned home for several years, Insurance will cover you:
a. at increased premiums
b. only for theft with evidence of obvious forced-entry
c. a few other exclusions that I cannot recall at the moment.

I have to admit, I rented the room out for selfish reasons: I was sick and tired of being put 'on the spot' every damn weekend with the expectation that I was a pro-bono hotel.

[dogspoiler]

What a great idea, instead of locking your house just open it up to the very people you have been trying to keep out.
Nothing like having a crackhead and a couple of alcoholics move into your home.
It would be a great way to reduce the clutter in some peoples homes, all the stuff you have worked for would find it's way out the door into a pawn shop. Jewelry, tools, antiques, electronics, money, don't need that stuff.
I'm sure the mayor has a spare room to lead by example.

[techrtr]

Not a chance. It's a lot different taking a wartime factory worker or university student in as a billet than taking in a street person. I think Victoria's mayor is delusional.

[60-YEARS-in-Ktown]

I rented out space in my owned home for several years, Insurance will cover you:
a. at increased premiums
b. only for theft with evidence of obvious forced-entry
c. a few other exclusions that I cannot recall at the moment.

I have to admit, I rented the room out for selfish reasons: I was sick and tired of being put 'on the spot' every damn weekend with the expectation that I was a pro-bono hotel.

Having trouble using the N word ?

[spooker]

And yet for money we'll open our houses to strangers vetted by Airbnb ... no, my wife would kill me if I offered the house up but I don't think this is completely unreasonable and if circumstances permitted I would entertain the idea ...

[the truth]

will are local bc politicians step up and start by taking some in first to lead by example, i think not.
she is a complete moron for even bringing up this idea,6,000 homeless in victoria alone , but we have room for 50,000 refugees in the last year alone ????

[kgcayenne]

I rented out space in my owned home for several years, Insurance will cover you:
a. at increased premiums
b. only for theft with evidence of obvious forced-entry
c. a few other exclusions that I cannot recall at the moment.

I have to admit, I rented the room out for selfish reasons: I was sick and tired of being put 'on the spot' every damn weekend with the expectation that I was a pro-bono hotel.

Having trouble using the N word ?

Yeah... after the eighth weekend in a row it turned into the F one.

[Barney Google]

Not a chance. It's a lot different taking a wartime factory worker or university student in as a billet than taking in a street person. I think Victoria's mayor is delusional.

Suggesting Victoria's Seniors take on billets is nuts!

Don't we already have increasing problems with Seniors being bilked and attacked by enough film-flammers already?

That being said...we've opened our doors in the past to a few folks that were struggling.

Sometimes it worked out great...other times no so much.

Would do it again if and when circumstances were right.

[Fancy]

The lawn at Victoria's law courts became a homeless camp last year before the B.C. Supreme Court shut it down over unsafe conditions.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/victoria-m ... -1.3461992

Knowing how some of these people are living, does Lisa Helps really think it's a good idea to promote those same people living with seniors?

Residents in the city opened their homes to workers during the Second World War - key word is workers who were helping for a just cause. What have these homeless done to help the community they are living in?