25959 replies to this topic

[aastra]

If ordinary purchasers gradually drive up real estate prices via natural demand then it's a crime against humanity. If a public organization deliberately overpays by a mile on a big acquisition then it's good government at work.

 

Let the record also show that it's laudable when the government buys a very large downtown property, but it's an outrageous offense when a condo developer proposes to buy some useless little traffic islands near the JSB.

 

Off topic, but the following always grinds my gears. Any journalism instructor would have put a big red strike through this back in the day:

 

 

B.C. Housing tackled two immediate crises, the COVID-19 epidemic and opioid overdoses, when it bought Paul’s.

 

A journalist would say, "B.C. Housing claimed to be tackling two immediate crises..."

 

Nowadays, only ordinary individuals (typically critics of something) will ever claim or allege anything in a news story. The governments, the military forces, the supra-governments, and even big corporations no longer need to make claims. They just make declarations that are self-evidently true and thus incontestable.

 

"The army invaded to stop the humanitarian crisis," or

"The government imposed the new tax to ease the housing crunch," or

"The company rolled out the tracing app to combat the spread of disease," etc.

 

If the government or a billionaire says it then it can't be a mere claim, right? It's the truth. Has to be. Always has been, always will be (since the early 2000s or thereabouts).

[Awaiting Juno]

If ordinary purchasers gradually drive up real estate prices via natural demand then it's a crime against humanity. If a public organization deliberately overpays by a mile on a big acquisition then it's good government at work.

 

Let the record also show that it's laudable when the government buys a very large downtown property, but it's an outrageous offense when a condo developer proposes to buy some useless little traffic islands near the JSB.

 

Off topic, but the following always grinds my gears. Any journalism instructor would have put a big red strike through this back in the day:

 

 

A journalist would say, "B.C. Housing claimed to be tackling two immediate crises..."

 

Nowadays, only ordinary individuals (typically critics of something) will ever claim or allege anything in a news story. The governments, the military forces, the supra-governments, and even big corporations no longer need to make claims. They just make declarations that are self-evidently true and thus incontestable.

 

"The army invaded to stop the humanitarian crisis," or

"The government imposed the new tax to ease the housing crunch," or

"The company rolled out the tracing app to combat the spread of disease," etc.

 

If the government or a billionaire says it then it can't be a mere claim, right? It's the truth. Has to be. Always has been, always will be (since the early 2000s or thereabouts).

 

Use of likely unsafe drugs in private premises - be they tents in an encampment or hotel or care home private rooms does nothing to tackle the opiod crises.  If we are to combat that crises, we must move to make consumption of such substances in private dwellings illegal, and specify that they must be consumed in safe consumption sites and provide supply testing services.  It's part of the equation that baffles me to be honest.  One of the reasons you can't consume alcohol wherever you like is that it's recognized that certain conditions must be met to avoid some of the potential harms that might result.  If you are to sell liquour you are to have a license.  Perhaps regulation of opiods with a hefty taxes paid to recover the costs of naloxone and impacts on our health system.  Require people be counselled on the drug before dispensing it (just like a prescribe pharmaceutical).  Come down hard on situations that are unsafe.  If the addiction results in criminal behaviour - offer a choice - treatment or jail.

[LJ]

I like the Portuguese model, you get rehab or you get jail.

[Mike K.]

If ordinary purchasers gradually drive up real estate prices via natural demand then it's a crime against humanity. If a public organization deliberately overpays by a mile on a big acquisition then it's good government at work.

Let the record also show that it's laudable when the government buys a very large downtown property, but it's an outrageous offense when a condo developer proposes to buy some useless little traffic islands near the JSB.

Off topic, but the following always grinds my gears. Any journalism instructor would have put a big red strike through this back in the day:


A journalist would say, "B.C. Housing claimed to be tackling two immediate crises..."

Nowadays, only ordinary individuals (typically critics of something) will ever claim or allege anything in a news story. The governments, the military forces, the supra-governments, and even big corporations no longer need to make claims. They just make declarations that are self-evidently true and thus incontestable.

"The army invaded to stop the humanitarian crisis," or
"The government imposed the new tax to ease the housing crunch," or
"The company rolled out the tracing app to combat the spread of disease," etc.

If the government or a billionaire says it then it can't be a mere claim, right? It's the truth. Has to be. Always has been, always will be (since the early 2000s or thereabouts).

Don’t forget about the dozen secret sources close to the subject.

[Awaiting Juno]

I's like somebody said, "Let's just ask the homeless how do we fix homelessness?", and the homeless answered "just give us homes" and the policy makers said, "by golly, you're right, that's all that needs to be done!" and then the policy makers set out to do just that, buying up hotels and building whole buildings to house those without homes.  Then, despite huge expenditures, the problem only grew.  Worse yet, entire neighbourhoods became crime ridden ghettos.   The thing is, the homeless are critical to understanding the problem, but might not actually have the answer to sustainably fixing the problem.  Eventually, other people's money runs out and the very things that led to the problem in the first place persisted.  The addicts were still addicted.  The prevailing market rents were still out of reach.  The mentally ill, and those without budgeting skills still struggled - and still had a hard time maintaining their housing.

 

The easy answer is often wrong.

 

We need to critically think about this problem.  We need to identify what isn't working and change tactics.  

Edited by Awaiting Juno, 04 July 2020 - 07:30 AM.

[North Shore]

I like the Portuguese model, you get rehab or you get jail.

I sorta agree..but:  How many rehab spaces are available at present, and at what cost?  Once our subject has completed rehab and is clean, what then?  Housing? Job?  Support?  Without any of those, then the road to relapse is probably quite short..  On the other side, how long are we going to incarcerate for, and what's the end game there?  Again, without treatment, housing, job, support, etc.. on release, we'll be back where we started - on the street, and using.

[Mike K.]

I have an acquaintance who recently went to rehab when the employer caught on to an addiction, and which has a program in place to provide rehab for employees who choose to pursue it.

After rehab the individual went back to a great home, a good job and had full family support. Then a couple of months later back into the cycle of addiction (albeit tempered) the individual went.

If individuals who have all of the supports they need relapse, I don’t know why authorities keep telling us all that’s required for success are supports. Clearly that’s not the case, as the outcome rests with the individual and not their circumstances given the programs and options that are available.

And don’t forget housing is now a liability for drug addicts, according to Victoria News. Being housed means you’re using drugs in private and nobody will be around to call for help if you OD. Of course living in a tent city environment also yielded a deceased man who’d been decease for two weeks before anyone caught on.

Fundamentally the moral of the story is to never touch drugs, that they really are as bad as authorities told us they were when we were growing up.

[Victoria Watcher]

today’s Tc article says bc housing has no intention of leasing or buying any more hotels.

oh it also says they forgot to give homes to 10 people staying at the native friendship centre who were sent packing at the end of June.

so what have we solved?

[A Girl is No one]

Wait and see... Beacon Hill Park ghetto is still growing. Helps might be going for a Guiness world record for biggest tent city. This is all meant to put pressure on the BC government. Good for BC gov if they resist but I think that once they’ve made a deal with the devil (just an expression!) they will be in a bad position to say no now.

Edited by A Girl is No one, 04 July 2020 - 01:17 PM.

[spanky123]

today’s Tc article says bc housing has no intention of leasing or buying any more hotels.

oh it also says they forgot to give homes to 10 people staying at the native friendship centre who were sent packing at the end of June.

so what have we solved?

Also noted that B.C. Housing claimed that the majority of hotels were full. Majority is 51%.

[mbjj]

Walked through Beacon Hill with my daughter and yes, more tents. There are three now quite close under the heron nesting area (and man does it smell there!).

 

Also went to drop off some library books in the downtown library chute and my daughter said, oh don't go over there too far. Two guys were shooting up right against the library wall.

[A Girl is No one]

Gross! My heart breaks to see what has happened to my beloved city.
And downtown is so grimy I had a hard time believing my eyes when I went on Thursday night. Since people are expected to eat out there now, how much work would it be to wash the street and sidewalks every once in a while? As it is, I personally would not want to eat there as it is way too dirty.

[mbjj]

When my best friend and I were about 16 we used to take the bus from Duncan down to Victoria for the day and have a wander. This would be around 1971 or so. It was so safe our parents never gave it a second thought. We would visit the "cool" shops in Bastion Square and the Merle Norman make-up place on Yates - they had great free samples.

 

My parents couldn't wait to move down here and when my dad retired we did. Had a little house over near the Jubilee Hospital. It was so delightful to drive along Dallas Road, go to the park, have an ice cream, go for a snack downtown. Now....not so much. It's sad. I don't know what the answer is, but it's very discouraging.

[rmpeers]

Wait and see... Beacon Hill Park ghetto is still growing. Helps might be going for a Guiness world record for biggest tent city. This is all meant to put pressure on the BC government. Good for BC gov if they resist but I think that once they’ve made a deal with the devil (just an expression!) they will be in a bad position to say no now.

Their whole covid excuse is one of the more blatant lies the mayor has told, but she's doubling down. How can a politician have so much contempt for their constituents?

[A Girl is No one]

Their whole covid excuse is one of the more blatant lies the mayor has told, but she's doubling down. How can a politician have so much contempt for their constituents?

And the question I ask myself is « why » do they have so much contempt for their constituents... I really don’t understand...

[Awaiting Juno]

And the question I ask myself is « why » do they have so much contempt for their constituents... I really don’t understand...

 

An observation - with the exception of Young, Alto and CTJ - council is young.  Even Helps is under 45.  They've got a chip on their shoulder - and they're remaking the city in ways that better suit what they view as fair.  Single family homes, private vehicles, etc. - those things are seen as being "luxury goods" rather than the staple of a middle class Victoria.  Even safe, clean, parks - again a staple turned luxury good.  Further, they seem to think that begrudging well to do areas is right - as it is an imposition on those that are envied.  I've noticed when it comes to public parks even - those in struggling neighbourhoods are far more likely to get make overs than those in areas that are perceived to be well off.  Example - there's a small neighbourhood park along Bushby.  Its equipment is from 1969.  Occasionally it might get a lick of paint.  So it would seem that the view is the well to do are to pay taxes, but not derive the benefits from those same taxes, those are to be redirected towards areas of town that cannot afford such improvements with their taxes alone.  

[Nparker]

...it would seem that the view is the well to do are to pay taxes, but not derive the benefits from those same taxes, those are to be redirected towards areas of town that cannot afford such improvements with their taxes alone.

Socialism at its "finest". 

[Awaiting Juno]

It's the participation medal generation, what should we expect?  Everyone gets a home just because - it doesn't matter what a person did or didn't do, everyone gets one.  Shelter alone isn't good enough, and it doesn't matter how it gets paid for as long as other people pay.  And that home must be in Victoria, anything less simply won't do - we can't have a world where people's choices matter.  Those who "earned" their homes and pay taxes should be punished for being privileged.     

[Rob Randall]

It was 13 years ago today C-FAX hosted a 2 1/2 hour long town hall-style meeting on Downtown challenges, with guests Mayor Lowe, Chief Battershill, Ken Kelly from the DVBA and many others. 

 

I'm certain many of the recommendations that came out of that series of discussions have been implemented yet the problems persist, indeed they appear worse--a stroll around Downtown will confirm it.

 

It circles back to the core issue: what are we trying to fix? What milestones do we need to meet? How do we measure success?

[Mike K.]

Some say the problems were being addressed and fixed, and things were going well.

Then 2014 happened.