Policy Brief: Homelessness in Metro Vancouver

Policy Brief: Homelessness in Metro Vancouver
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Policy Brief: Homelessness in Metro Vancouver
Introduction
The policy brief will address homelessness in Metro Vancouver. Homelessness is a critical social issue that impacts different geographical areas with low home access. It is a condition in which individuals lack adequate and affordable housing (Zufferey, 2016). Homelessness is a critical problem that needs timely identification and intervention since it jeopardizes the right to shelter. Regardless of where they come from, individuals should have adequate shelter, and any issues such as crimes that may jeopardize their stability should be timely addressed. Homelessness can be managed by adjusting policies and accommodating the ideologies of different stakeholders. Poverty is the major cause of homelessness. Most people who are below the poverty line are vulnerable to homelessness. However, some individuals below the poverty line can still access shelters. There is a need to focus on suitable policies that can eliminate the effects of poverty and homelessness. Therefore, this policy brief provides a reliable alternative, the re-housing policy for addressing homelessness.
Background
Metro Vancouver is one city with a high rate of homelessness. It records Canada's highest percentage of homeless individuals (Vancity Community Foundation, 2022). Furthermore, it records higher street deaths and criminal issues such as pickpocketing, jeopardizing social stability and peace. Due to the high rate of homelessness, the major problems that the city experiences are crimes such as pickpocketing among the individuals on the streets. Despite the key policies that have been enacted to address homelessness, it is still widespread due to the lack of appropriate policy guidelines and measures that can allow citizens access to funds. This policy brief offers an adequate solution by focusing on reliable guidelines proven in other cities. The increased homeless rate in Metro Vancouver needs effective policy formulation and implementation. Like residents of any city, individuals from Metro Vancouver require equal access to shelters and affordable housing. 2,095 individuals in Vancouver are considered homeless. Of these, 547 individuals live in the street, while 1,548 live in sheltered locations (Vancity Community Foundation, 2022). The common places where homeless individuals are found include hospitals, safe houses, detox centers, and emergency shelters. This policy brief ensures that all the identified populations are considered in the affordable housing plan, accommodating all the population needs.
Homelessness is also considered a critical issue in Metro Vancouver due to the rising cases of street death among the homeless. Policy implementation such as re-housing is essential since it reduces deaths or any social issue that may jeopardize state security and social development. Therefore, this brief will examine the key gaps in Metro Vancouver, such as high housing prices, and offer adequate solutions, including re-housing, that the policymakers can take to address the problem. The provided data on homelessness are adequate and show it ...