SUNN: Vancouver Historic Quartiers —The Dollar-Cost of Housing the Homeless

Social Housing should be part of the regional system, incorporated into neighbourhood planning from the outset. 
— Lewis N. Villegas, The Gastown Principles, March 2011.

Alexander Street in Gastown, pictured here, presents a microcosm of a workable housing strategy. In this photo we see co-op housing, social housing, affordable housing, and hi-end condominiums all on the same city block. There is a higher level of social mix taking place on the street than inside any given building.

The Face of Homelessness

Sustainable urbanism must incorporate social housing. Vancouver’s homeless are:

80% one or more of: addiction, mental health, HIV, other chronic
60% trauma victims
50% released from government care (foster care, group home, corrections) [Kraus, 2010]
33% aboriginal
10% Out-of-province

From: Housing and Homeless Strategy, City of Vancouver, 1 February 2011

In spring 2011, a CBC radio interview suggested that the cost of homelessness per person can be measured as:

$80,000 Federal Incarceration
$70,000 Provincial Incarceration
$55,000 Street Homeless (cost on the system–”Housing and Homeless Strategy,” City of Vancouver, 2011)
$45,000 Housed with supports

Read more: The Dollar-Cost of Housing the Homeless | SUNN: Vancouver Historic Quartiers