25967 replies to this topic

[spanky123]

Good to see Helps quoted in the TC as being supportive of involuntary confinement of the mentally ill. I think she would have a lot of support for Krog’s idea but the charter might get in the way.

[Nparker]

So mental health "institutions" are being suggested. How innovative.

[Victoria Watcher]

Last Friday, 12 people moved into the first cluster of little sleeping cabins that Mr. Horn had built on a downtown city parking lot. The eight-foot-by-eight-foot rooms have a window, a door, a plug, an electric baseboard heater and a bed. Another two clusters are in progress. Cost: a little less than $7,000 a cabin.

 

That idea is the latest advance in the effort to tackle homelessness, as even temporary modular housing, seen a few years ago as a revolutionary new approach, is now viewed as too expensive and too slow to build given the disaster unfolding in many cities.

 

The cabin mini-village success is particularly satisfying for Mr. Horn, a former social planner in Nanaimo, B.C., who was hired by the Cowichan Housing Association a year and a half ago to come up with creative new ideas for tackling housing problems.

 

“I very much believe in direct action,” Mr. Horn said. He’d become very tired of the status quo approach to homelessness, which was “telling a guy he has to live in the forest for three years until we can find a real apartment for him.”

 

The cabin villages need rules and oversight, he insists, or they won’t work. It costs almost $52,000 a month for security guards every night. But it ensures that everyone feels safe. There are common washrooms provided and meals are brought in, as they have been for the area’s tent camps of homeless people since spring.

 

 

https://www.theglobe...b Article Links

 

 

 

 

 

“I very much believe in direct action,” Mr. Horn said. He’d become very tired of the status quo approach to homelessness, which was “telling a guy he has to live in the forest for three years until we can find a real apartment for him.”

 

 

 

^ that is what everyone in the poverty pimp industry has wrong.   the vast majority of people (some 99.98% of us) have never "slept in the woods" while awaiting housing. 

 

security is $52,000/mo. for 12 people.  $4,333 per person.  when in reality at best that security is needed for 1 or 2 or maybe 3 of the residents.  the rest can actually be trained - via carrot and stick methods - to live life properly or at least somewhat like the rest of us.

 

and again of course we have meals brought in.  because people that do not work can't be expected to go get food at the nearest soup kitchen.  they must be too busy 168 hours per week

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 30 January 2021 - 11:00 AM.

[kitty surprise]

 

Last Friday, 12 people moved into the first cluster of little sleeping cabins that Mr. Horn had built on a downtown city parking lot. The eight-foot-by-eight-foot rooms have a window, a door, a plug, an electric baseboard heater and a bed. Another two clusters are in progress. Cost: a little less than $7,000 a cabin.

 

That idea is the latest advance in the effort to tackle homelessness, as even temporary modular housing, seen a few years ago as a revolutionary new approach, is now viewed as too expensive and too slow to build given the disaster unfolding in many cities.

 

The cabin mini-village success is particularly satisfying for Mr. Horn, a former social planner in Nanaimo, B.C., who was hired by the Cowichan Housing Association a year and a half ago to come up with creative new ideas for tackling housing problems.

 

“I very much believe in direct action,” Mr. Horn said. He’d become very tired of the status quo approach to homelessness, which was “telling a guy he has to live in the forest for three years until we can find a real apartment for him.”

 

The cabin villages need rules and oversight, he insists, or they won’t work. It costs almost $52,000 a month for security guards every night. But it ensures that everyone feels safe. There are common washrooms provided and meals are brought in, as they have been for the area’s tent camps of homeless people since spring.

 

 

https://www.theglobe...b Article Links

 

 

 

 

 

“I very much believe in direct action,” Mr. Horn said. He’d become very tired of the status quo approach to homelessness, which was “telling a guy he has to live in the forest for three years until we can find a real apartment for him.”

 

 

 

^ that is what everyone in the poverty pimp industry has wrong.   the vast majority of people (some 99.98% of us) have never "slept in the woods" while awaiting housing. 

 

security is $52,000/mo. for 12 people.  $4,333 per person.  when in reality at best that security is needed for 1 or 2 or maybe 3 of the residents.  the rest can actually be trained - via carrot and stick methods - to live life properly or at least somewhat like the rest of us.

 

and again of course we have meals brought in.  because people that do not work can't be expected to go get food at the nearest soup kitchen.  they must be too busy 168 hours per week

 

 

Something doesn't smell right. Nightly security costs $52,000 per month?

 

If 12 people need what equates to at least one guard per two cabins - what's broken?

[On the Level]

So mental health "institutions" are being suggested. How innovative.

 

 

“Whether it will be voluntary or involuntary residency, who knows?” Helps said.

 

We are seeing policy evolving in front of our eyes.  I doubt we would have heard this statement even a month ago.

 

The fundamental issue is whether we leave decisions to those that are a harm to themselves and others.  This is a lightening issue where many agencies will come out swinging to prevent any form of government intervention other than offering free housing.  

 

It's going to be an interesting few months.

[Victoria Watcher]

If 12 people need what equates to at least one guard per two cabins - what's broken?

 

peoples' levels of personal responsibility.  combined with lack of ability/desire to enforce rules for the public good.

 

if these 12 house had rules:

• no visitors
• no noise (people can use headphones)
• no flame/cooking
• no touching another person's house

and these rules were enforced with eviction when they were not these 12 houses would eventually need zero security save for a security camera system.

 

an instead of paying $52,000/mo. for security you could buy another 7 per month. 

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 30 January 2021 - 11:28 AM.

[JimV]

peoples' levels of personal responsibility.  combined with lack of ability/desire to enforce rules for the public good.

That is basically the heart of the problem.  As a society we have increasingly come to accept this kind of behaviour.  Only massive public demand can force a change of course.

 

Whether that will ever happen remains to be seen.  Cities like SF, Portland and Seattle have gradually turned into dumps and the politicians in charge keep getting re-elected.  If the voters don’t care then they won’t either.

 

In the short term all we can do is loudly challenge the latest woke prescriptions and demand alternatives where possible.  Next we need to elect some officials who actually respect the public and are not beholden to “victim” groups. And it would certainly help if they had some life experience outside of academia and the poverty industry.

 

Even that is a tall order.  The rot in our society goes deep and the capacity for critical thinking seems to diminish every day.

[Victoria Watcher]

Cities like SF, Portland and Seattle have gradually turned into dumps and the politicians in charge keep getting re-elected. 

 

A ranking that experts say is a key indicator for national real estate investors’ interest in developing in Portland has seen a dramatic downturn in recent years, going from one of the top cities to near the bottom of an 80-city ranking, and plummeting particularly in the last year.

 

Experts point to national trends like the city’s struggle through the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic toll as well as general market conditions for a drop in ranking. Another factor experts think contributed to the fall is Portland’s sullied reputation in the last year from negative and disproportionate national media attention related to protests.

 

 

https://www.koin.com...tational-slump/

 

 

 

 

As Mayor Ted Wheeler launches his "Here for Portland" initiative, small businesses said they're struggling to keep doors open. This comes despite efforts encouraging people to shop local.

 

The nightclub owner at Candy downtown tells KATU just in the last week he witnessed someone taking drugs in his doorway, as well as lighting a fire out front on two different occasions.

 

"When I talk to people down here, other business owners, the general feeling is anger, and also just resignation. I haven’t talked to one single business owner that hasn’t talked about moving out of here, whether it’s the city or just downtown," Brad McCray said.

 

 

https://katu.com/new...o-create-change

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 30 January 2021 - 04:26 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

 

 

 

 

 

https://twitter.com/Adam_Stirling

[On the Level]

Something doesn't smell right. Nightly security costs $52,000 per month?

 

If 12 people need what equates to at least one guard per two cabins - what's broken?

 

Augg......I passed on the book I had about BC Pen so I can't look up the exact numbers....but.  

 

I think we see Council advocating for it's return in a different form.  Yes they will argue they are not.....and yes this is not Pen but more like Riverview.  Wiki mentions an uptick for staffing from the 1950s thru the 1970s, but there was a massive decline from previous years.  The model isn't much different than what Council is proposing.  

[On the Level]

Another point.  Are these guard jobs outsourced?  Does Together Victoria approved? James Coccola is a Together Victoria board member and EVP of BCGEU.  Did he sign off?

 

Follow the bread crumbs to more questions about conflict of interest.  Didn't the CoV council recently renegotiated outside of the CRD?  Who benefits?

 

Who benefits from the homeless?  From the actions from Council this past year is it really the homeless?

[On the Level]

^ why is the https://coibc.ca/ silent?

[Victoria Watcher]

Youth experiencing homelessness will have a chance to chart their own path while living at Victoria’s first youth-led housing program, which welcomed its first residents last week.

 

The plan is to house up to 25 to 30 youth experiencing homelessness or aging out of care by the end of February.

 

 

Bunk beds in a bedroom at Victorias first youth-led social enterprise housing program, run by the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness. The facility, which opened last week at an undisclosed location in Victoria, will house up to 30 youth. 

 

 

https://www.timescol...gram-1.24274739

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 31 January 2021 - 06:39 AM.

[Awaiting Juno]

Here's what I don't get - why is single room occupancy demanded for what should be transitional shelter/housing.  Dorms often sleep more than one person and are adequate.  Hospital rooms, again are often double occupancy (unless you're willing to pay a premium to have the room to yourself).  Shelters need to be clean, safe, secure places where people can get the bare essential to function (adequate sleep and connection to the resources needed to help oneself to a better situation).  Glad to see bunk beds in the youth facility and can't help but think that shared space often helps develop more appropriate behaviours (ie. less destruction).

[Mike K.]

It is heartbreaking that our society needs shelter spaces for youth. Truly heartbreaking. I want to believe youth in these circumstances benefit from far more resources to help them get onto the right path and/or to help them maintain it into adulthood.

If one were looking to donate specifically to youth-related resources, where would one do that?

[Victoria Watcher]

Here's what I don't get - why is single room occupancy demanded for what should be transitional shelter/housing.  Dorms often sleep more than one person and are adequate.  Hospital rooms, again are often double occupancy (unless you're willing to pay a premium to have the room to yourself).  Shelters need to be clean, safe, secure places where people can get the bare essential to function (adequate sleep and connection to the resources needed to help oneself to a better situation).  Glad to see bunk beds in the youth facility and can't help but think that shared space often helps develop more appropriate behaviours (ie. less destruction).

 

absolutely.  jail cells. hospital rooms.  university dorms.  youth hostels.  

[Victoria Watcher]

It is heartbreaking that our society needs shelter spaces for youth. Truly heartbreaking. I want to believe youth in these circumstances benefit from far more resources to help them get onto the right path and/or to help them maintain it into adulthood.

If one were looking to donate specifically to youth-related resources, where would one do that?

 

what's the deal with kids that "age out"?  do most foster parents put the kids out at 18 and on their own?  to make room for another "paying" foster kid?  or do a healthy percentage stay at "home" while attending higher education or while gaining some work experience?

 

the percentage of (regular family) kids that leave home at 18 is fairly small.  what is it for foster kids?

 

i will admit i have no knowledge of how this works.  not sure i've ever met a "foster child" or at least not knowingly.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 31 January 2021 - 07:36 AM.

[Mike K.]

At the age of 14 the state has little control over a teen’s decisions, so my guess is if the foster environment is strained the person will leave well before the age of 18.

[Victoria Watcher]

At the age of 14 the state has little control over a teen’s decisions, so my guess is if the foster environment is strained the person will leave well before the age of 18.

 

you don't believe most foster families provide an excellent home?

[Mike K.]

Teenage emotions can quickly cripple relations. As can choices and influences of friends. It’s easier when you have unconditional love of birth parents, but not as easy when the relationship is an arrangement, I guess.

We do only hear of the bad instances, though, so it’s tough to say what the positive outcomes rate is of the foster program. I do know, though, from the personal experiences of people in my life, that the program isn’t perfect.