Opinion: Alberta budget carries a bitter message for the homeless
Jim Gurnett
For 200 years, people have experienced an emotional boost singing, “Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home.” So powerful was the song’s sentiment, it was banned in Union army camps during the U.S. Civil War, for fear soldiers would desert for home just hearing its message
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© Provided by Edmonton Journal Two camp residents share a hug after being evicted from the homeless camp near downtown Edmonton known as Camp Pekiwewin. Police and peace officers closed the camp down on November 12, 2020. The camp was on public land and had been occupied by over 200 people since July 2020.
For thousands of Edmontonians without housing of their own, and for tens of thousands in housing that is unsafe, insecure, inadequate, or unaffordable, the song carries a bitter message. The 2021-22 Alberta budget delivers a similar message.
Canadian and Albertan governments had a proud history for over four decades, investing in construction of non-market affordable housing for those unable to find housing in the open market. Homelessness was not an issue. But since 1993, that social commitment has been abandoned. The money in the new Alberta budget is shamefully inadequate and will guarantee that more people are denied the human right to decent housing. Housing is the foundation on which we build our lives. Relationships, health, employment, and mental well-being are more difficult without it.
The budget has a 22-per-cent cut to services for people who are homeless, from $248 million in the past year to $193 million. Even with that reduction, the government continues to see support for temporary emergency shelter as an answer to homelessness, in its support of large shelters that are unable to offer anything like a secure and dignified way to live.
The real solution to homelessness is to have housing. The budget documents themselves admit at least 11.4 per cent of Alberta households are in core housing need, unable to afford the housing they need. Yet there is only budget funding for 1,400 more units of public housing over the next three years, for all of Alberta, some of that for new construction and some of it to renovate existing housing in poor condition.
For thousands of Edmontonians without housing of their own, and for tens of thousands in housing that is unsafe, insecure, inadequate, or unaffordable, the song carries a bitter message. The 2021-22 Alberta budget delivers a similar message.
Canadian and Albertan governments had a proud history for over four decades, investing in construction of non-market affordable housing for those unable to find housing in the open market. Homelessness was not an issue. But since 1993, that social commitment has been abandoned. The money in the new Alberta budget is shamefully inadequate and will guarantee that more people are denied the human right to decent housing. Housing is the foundation on which we build our lives. Relationships, health, employment, and mental well-being are more difficult without it.
The budget has a 22-per-cent cut to services for people who are homeless, from $248 million in the past year to $193 million. Even with that reduction, the government continues to see support for temporary emergency shelter as an answer to homelessness, in its support of large shelters that are unable to offer anything like a secure and dignified way to live.
The real solution to homelessness is to have housing. The budget documents themselves admit at least 11.4 per cent of Alberta households are in core housing need, unable to afford the housing they need. Yet there is only budget funding for 1,400 more units of public housing over the next three years, for all of Alberta, some of that for new construction and some of it to renovate existing housing in poor condition.
The City of Edmonton alone identifies a need for 50,000 units of affordable housing, and has an immediate goal of 2,500 units. This is not a frivolous matter. In Edmonton, over 25,000 households are spending over 50 per cent of their monthly income for housing. Many of these are families where the income is small, from sources such as minimum-wage jobs, so very little is left for other expenses. They live with the weight of “pay the rent or feed the children” hanging over them every day.
Years of failing to fund public housing have created a huge deficit. Only 24 per cent of the portfolio of public housing now meets the standard of being in good condition, and six per cent is in poor condition. This means housing built to be affordable for people with lower incomes is out of use because it cannot be used.
Some people have been able to avoid homelessness thanks to income supports, such as welfare and rent supplements, but the demand for rent support far outstrips the available funds and there is a quiet move to more strictly enforce the multitude of regulations for those receiving income support, so that people are losing allowances that let them meet shelter and other needs in a marginal way.
The budget ignores the need for supportive housing. Some people have challenges such as mental illness or disabilities and will not be able to remain housed unless they are in housing with specialized support services. Funding is needed for physical facilities and dedicated staff.
Year after year, governments have presented plans to end homelessness or to end chronic homelessness in 10 years or five years or three years but without a return to the commitment of governments of the post-war 20th century to fund affordable housing, this is rhetoric, not a plan. Parkland and back-alley camps and sidewalk lineups outside cavernous temporary shelters will be “home” for too many of our community.
Over a decade ago, a major review of housing in Alberta presented many recommendations. Few saw attention. Then in the summer of 2020, a hurried new review of affordable housing brought forward more recommendations. Now the government had hired consultants to decide what to do with that report. While the COVID-19 pandemic presents greater threats to people who are without housing or in inadequate housing, there are more months of delays ahead before any action is likely. The wholly inadequate commitment of Budget 2021-22 is all we can be certain of.
The voices of those who have the powerful benefits of adequate housing need to be raised to call for an Alberta budget that recognizes the need of homes for all.
Jim Gurnett has worked in senior positions with Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness, Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, and Bissell Centre, and now with Inner City Pastoral Ministry.
Years of failing to fund public housing have created a huge deficit. Only 24 per cent of the portfolio of public housing now meets the standard of being in good condition, and six per cent is in poor condition. This means housing built to be affordable for people with lower incomes is out of use because it cannot be used.
Some people have been able to avoid homelessness thanks to income supports, such as welfare and rent supplements, but the demand for rent support far outstrips the available funds and there is a quiet move to more strictly enforce the multitude of regulations for those receiving income support, so that people are losing allowances that let them meet shelter and other needs in a marginal way.
The budget ignores the need for supportive housing. Some people have challenges such as mental illness or disabilities and will not be able to remain housed unless they are in housing with specialized support services. Funding is needed for physical facilities and dedicated staff.
Year after year, governments have presented plans to end homelessness or to end chronic homelessness in 10 years or five years or three years but without a return to the commitment of governments of the post-war 20th century to fund affordable housing, this is rhetoric, not a plan. Parkland and back-alley camps and sidewalk lineups outside cavernous temporary shelters will be “home” for too many of our community.
Over a decade ago, a major review of housing in Alberta presented many recommendations. Few saw attention. Then in the summer of 2020, a hurried new review of affordable housing brought forward more recommendations. Now the government had hired consultants to decide what to do with that report. While the COVID-19 pandemic presents greater threats to people who are without housing or in inadequate housing, there are more months of delays ahead before any action is likely. The wholly inadequate commitment of Budget 2021-22 is all we can be certain of.
The voices of those who have the powerful benefits of adequate housing need to be raised to call for an Alberta budget that recognizes the need of homes for all.
Jim Gurnett has worked in senior positions with Edmonton Coalition on Housing and Homelessness, Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, and Bissell Centre, and now with Inner City Pastoral Ministry.
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