Homeless -- AdamWithers.ca

Background:

Finding them housing isn't the hard part.
Mental Health
The cost to communities is astronomical
Whatever we are currently doing is definately NOT working.
Solutions (A, B, and C):

Finding them housing isn't the hard part:

Giving a person shelter(only) costs $9600-$12000/year
Drug Addiction

Hard Cost to support a single homeless person is astronomical ($53K / year):

Healthcare
Disability / Welfare
Police + Courts
Food
Damage
Cleanup

Link

Hidden Cost to communities (yet incalculable):

Needles everywhere,
Open drug use,
Safety,
Garbage,
Property Theft,
Public Urination +Defecation (on a massive scale),
Loss of Tourism,
Millions to repair the parks/camps,
Plummeting Property values,
Panhandling at red lights,

Quote: Addictive Behavior:

A Compulsive Repetition of behaviors that give you temporary pleasure and relief and long term create problems and negative consequences. You still persist and relapse.
--Dr. Gabor Mate

Victoria / Saanich Homeless Camps + Cleanup Costs

Regina Park ($923K-$1.3M)
BC Courthouse ($3M)
Pandora St. (Harris Green $85K)
Rudd Park
Topaz Park
Tolmie Park
Beacon Hill Park
Dallas Rd
Holland Point
Bethune Park
Rutledge Park
Highway Island Between Vernon+Blanshard @ Saanich
Playfair Park
Braefoot Park
Cridge Park
Ross Bay Cemetery
Cuthbert Holmes Park
Royal Oak Golf Course
Pioneer Square

Sources:

$3M https://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/province-spent-3m-on-victoria-tent-city-court-costs-and-clean-up-1.21572945
$3M https://www.peninsulanewsreview.com/news/residents-of-saanich-homeless-camp-refuse-to-leave/
$1M https://www.cheknews.ca/district-of-saanich-says-final-cost-for-regina-park-tent-city-could-be-close-to-1m-493157/
$1M https://www.vicnews.com/news/final-cost-for-saanich-homeless-camp-approaches-1-million/
$924K https://www.saanichnews.com/news/costs-of-homelessness-far-outweighs-cost-of-housing-says-advocate/
$362K https://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/victoria-seeks-more-funds-for-homeless-cleanup-costs-1.23511436
$350K https://www.macleans.ca/news/cleaning-victoria-homeless-camp-could-cost-350000-housing-minister/
$2.8M https://www.mapleridgenews.com/news/homeless-camp-costs-total-2-8-million/
$85K https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/clean-up-of-pandora-avenue-homeless-camp-has-cost-85k-city-of-victoria-says-1.5132033
$9.4M https://www.victoriabuzz.com/2021/04/province-purchases-vic-west-property-for-9-4-million-to-house-homeless-people-in-victoria/

Homeless Americans:

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) reports of homeless Americans:

26% had some form of mental illness.
35% were affected by substance abuse.
91% had criminal records (of any severity).
19% had at least one felony conviction in their lifetime.

https://sunrisehouse.com/addiction-demographics/homeless-population/#Does-Substance-Abuse-Cause-Homelessness

Whatever we are currently doing is definately NOT working.

The Homeless I really feel sorry for:

Chris. Product of Divorce. Employable. Drug Free. Constantly Robbed by other homeless.

The societal problems of homelessness follow them wherever they go:

Current Homeless Experiments ($82.8M):

Pandora St Issues:

Thousands of discarded needles,
Cars + business theft,
People openly bleeding
People running up on top of moving cars,
HUMAN feces in the middle of the sidewalk,
Urine trails from every other alcove,
Frequent Stabbings,
Dozens of broken windows,

Whatever we are currently doing is CLEARLY NOT working.

Solutions:

Relocate to Abandoned Towns
Unused upper floors of parkades
Reinstitutionalization
Cart Trailers

The best solution would involve a combination of the three options

Solution A: Relocate the most cycle-trapped homeless to old Mining+Logging Towns:

Anyone "trying" to work would remain in cities.
This is for the criminal, chronic, drug-addicted homeless, too mentally ill / addicted / crime prone for society, and too sane for a mental hospital.
There are 40+ to choose from with 0-3 population.
Many/Most are tourist destinations (for day trips).
Most people would call visiting these towns a vacation retreat.
https://www.narcity.com/ca/bc/vancouver/things-to-do-in-van/9-abandoned-ghost-towns-you-must-visit-in-bc

Benefits:

No drugs, nothing to damage.
Not surrounded by old drug dealers, criminal acquaintances, tempting theft-able items, etc.
Most of these towns still have functioning power + water infrastructure.

Requirements:

Access the medical + social services.
Might have to repave a road.
Truck in Food + Medicine.
Appoint (then elect) a council to keep the peace.

Solution B: Unused upper floors of parkades:

Covid has left most parcades 30-60% empty.
Fire + flood Proof.
Provide Porta-Poties.
Already have lighting + water.
Very difficult to Damage.
Instantly Available.

Solution C: Reinstitutionalization of Mentally Ill:

Re-open mental health care facilities where people are forced to stay.
Not Drugging and warehousing, but places where people can really get the care they need.
We don't have a drug or homeless crisis -- we have a crisis of people self-medicating for mental health/trauma issues to the point that they can not live in modern society.
They cannot or will not get the help they need to overcome their problems.
The current "community treatment" model has just pushed them onto the streets where they wait to die.
More Info

Solution D: Cart Trailers:

Put together an event where homeless+volunteers would build 100 of these.
I'm certain we could get funding for / donated supplies.
I bet I could get the cost down to $100.

Solution E: Freeway Cloverleafs:

Temporarily License 2 or 3 Homeless the right to camp.
No Fires, Drugs. Only 2 Guests. Cleanup Requirements
Specific Boundaries. Regular Inspections.
Any Problems, pull their License:
Link