The push to end homelessness.

[cv23]

Lets look at the big picture and how 'homeless biz' is a big money maker for many!!!!
so, its going no where and if anything, it will get much bigger!

Exactly, it's now a big business and as long as there is profit it will just grow and grow. What incentive is there to find a cure when there is so much money to be had in simply perpetuating/enabling the problem?

[tantor]

Undiagnosed or misdiagnosed metal illness, or being seriously abused by someone close, is the root of most homelessness. Once people are adult and their immediate family is no longer required to care for them, many are booted from that home. They turn to drugs and alcohol to cope. Many of the younger homeless have been booted from home for various reasons such as admitting they are gay. How sad is that? The OP’s comments are offensive at best and ignorant to the reality of why homelessness exists. It’s this type of attitude that continues to permeate in society, homes, religious mantra, that add to the ongoing and increasing problem. If you don’t want to drop money in someone’s cup or hat on the street, don’t. But don’t judge them until you understand their circumstances, you know . . . walk a mile in their shoes. Otherwise, IMO attitudes of indifference or intolerance will perpetuate the problems. Certainly closing doors on facilities like Crossroads is going to be a big punch in the gut for this segment of society.

Ya sorry all you are doing is helping them by pulling the victim card for them. Many of my friends were out on the streets before 12 years old! Some of the sexually abused, some violently abused in foster homes. Today they are hard working citizens, some with families of their own. So your argument falls flat on it's face. They grew up before this progressive ideology that teaches everyone that it's not their fault and they are the victim. I just had a homeless guy tell me the other day that he didn't choose this life lol. Who did then? You, Me the queen? When you separate people from personal responsibility you rob them of the only tool that can help them change. No matter what kind of trauma you experience it is up to you how you choose to handle it.Some people loose both legs and decide to push on and find a way to still make the most of their lives and some choose to give up and stay in a chair and deteriorate, either way that is a choice that they must make. Telling them that they are just a poor victim does nothing for them! It's scary that many with your mindset are counseling people like this. I was addicted to opiates and I made a choice to stop and go through the hellish with drawl and build myself back up and put my life back together. I know damn well that it was a choice. Life is hard and anything worthwhile in this life usually comes with some hardship. Now those with serious mental health issues are another thing but putting them into homes where they can still abuse substances while not giving them treatment is doing next to nothing and will never change their circumstance. For many of the homeless they absolutely make a conscience choice to stay addicted and live the life they live and people like you have given them their excuse to not change. If they want a different life the #1 they need to muster an ounce of courage and kick the monkey on their back of which is only super nasty for the first 2 weeks and then # 2 they need to separate themselves from all of those still engaged in that lifestyle. Without doing those first two steps, you can throw money at it until you are blue in the face but they will never change period. You preach of indifference and intolerance through your lens of ignorance and emotion. Are you not judging and have you walked a mile in the OP's shoes? Pot meet kettle.

[the truth]

great post.

[Babba_not_Gump]

great post.

I agree.
But it needs a little indentation and paragraphs.

[Even Steven]

Good documentary about homeless in Seattle



This was 3 years ago so things are even worse now.

Unfortunately you see Vancouver future in it.

[blueliner]

Good documentary about homeless in Seattle



This was 3 years ago so things are even worse now.

Unfortunately you see Vancouver future in it.

Coming soon if not already here in BC

[spooker]

Each year the wage gap gets larger, more people get dropped out the bottom ... of course Seattle is worse now than 3 years ago ... their cost of living is 94% higher than the average in the US while their median income is only 44% higher ... Vancouver's median income is right in line with the rest of Canada but it's considered the 2nd most expensive city to live in after only Toronto ...

Toronto has over 10,000 people homeless while Vancouver has just over 2,000 ... Kelowna had 286 with the last PIT count ... people do not choose homelessness, they fall out of the bottom ... if you think life is all about "hard work" and "good living" then you've drunk the kool-aid that the elite have sold us on ...

I'm where I am because I had the right opportunities at the right time and they were the easy choices ... not everyone is so lucky ... and yes, plenty work hard for what they get ... but plenty were born into it and had so much capital that even if they were idiots they couldn't get thrown out on their ears (yes, you know who I speak of) ...

[Fancy]

... if you think life is all about "hard work"...

That I agree with. Show up on time but better early, do the job you were hired to do and go the extra step.

[BC Landlord]

In the vast majority of cases, homelessness is a result of mental issues, namely addictions. Unless there is a push to address that, the problem will just keep growing.

[nucksRnum1]

[pilsung123]

Poverty is a roaring business. Hence, homelessness is also a growing Okanagan business that won't be going away, anytime soon, and is here to stay.

This "year round" Kelowna business gainfully employs cops, by-law enforcement officers, security guards, slumlords, social workers and mental health workers, church staff (the new agency that acts like a welfare office, with safety net measures the government is supposed to provide, but does not.), bankruptcy trustees, the Ministry of Social Development support staff, journalists, tent, bedding, and camping supply manufacturers, drug dealers, pimps, sex trade workers, and, my apologies to anyone that I have left out !

While people living on the street have a reputation for mental health issues, other groups in this food chain are not far away from mental unwellness, themselves ?

Talk to anyone who deals with impoverished or homeless clients for a living. After a while, their job makes them go "crazy," themselves ?

The key to human decency with the homeless is to show compassion and non judgementalism. These are qualities increasingly hard to find in this town.

As an example, the Toronto police's recent use of violent force to take down a city park occupied by defenceless, weaponless squatters.

The violence against the squatters was completely unnecessary, yet, was justified, according to their Mayor, John Tory.

Kelowna is not so immune from this kind of police brutality and it may get a hell of a lot worse before it gets better.

Meanwhile, as the cost of living keeps going up and up, many so-called established Kelowna residents are not that far away from homelessness and or mental unwellness.

Like homelessness and poverty, the cost of mental unwellness is staggering and we, as a community, will all pay the price for it, in the end.

The main question is, is Kelowna becoming a "Toronto in training," where the cops beat the hell out of squatters and the Mayor proclaims, "go ahead, make my day !"

Time will tell !

[the truth]

Good documentary about homeless in Seattle



This was 3 years ago so things are even worse now.

Unfortunately you see Vancouver future in it.

Coming soon if not already here in BC

kelowna is the mini seattle

[alanjh595]

Removed

[ReadyToGo]

There is an older gent hanging around Bernard area with a beard.
Nice guy to talk to. I have bought him a coffee when I saw him.
He used to be on the brick fencing on Enterprise sometimes if he is the same guy.
I dont hear him complaining and he seems happy socializing with people.
Cant see anyone changing his life if he is truly homeless.

A radio announcer in Ontario a few years back went on a homeless trip of his own for a week. He hung out with other homeless people and did what he saw them doing. He said his lowest make in cash was 300.00 bucks in one day. All tax free. People even gave him food and blankets. Except for missing his cushy livingroom chair and TV it wasn't so bad once he learned where to huddle up for the night time hours. He later donated the cash he made to homeless people but his lesson was Most of them out there want to be out there.

You cant fix Homeless... you can only provide shelter for the colder weather and for the other percent who fell homeless over gambling or shear bad luck as has already been happening all along.

[the truth]

criminal homeless junkies at it again https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/3 ... off#341481