Sepptember 30, 2020
The Georgia Straight
British Columbia
Carlito Pablo
Prejudice biggest barrier to housing the homeless: Vancouver city councillor Jean Swanson
Swanson noted that homelessness is difficult both for the individual and society at large.
People without a home have half the life expectancy of other people, “and that’s bad”, Swanson said.
She also noted that studies have shown that it’s more expensive for governments to support people on the streets compared to putting them in housing.
“So why is it that governments refuse to house people who are homeless?” Swanson asked. “And the only thing I can think of is that it’s prejudice and stigma and stereotyping, and somehow thinking that they’re less than other people, and they’re not.”