How we can start to address homelessness

How do we solve homelessness? There’s no easy answer as cities across the world and particularly along the west coast of North America are experiencing a surge in people living on the streets. In Greater Victoria, parts of our regional downtown have become almost unrecognizable. A constant state of distress impacts everyone who experiences the scene of people suffering from untreated mental health issues and addiction.
 
“The Chamber is looking at long-term solutions that could take generations while also calling for immediate action that can make a real difference today,” Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said. “We need to work with our community partners, specifically those who are on the frontline. Their experiences are vital to helping shape policies and programs that address the roots of this issue.”
 
Partners such as Our Place Society and the Victoria Conservatory of Music, who recently co- authored an essay in the Times Colonist have offered a thoughtful four-point plan that deserves consideration. The essay is worth a read but The Chamber agrees that we need to:

1. Get to know people better so we can understand their individual situations
2. House people in homes and stop normalizing sleeping outside
3. Make treatment options and intervention easier to access
4. Support police and the legal system in their efforts to keep criminal predators away from vulnerable people who are disproportionately affected by crime.