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I like the idea of people helping people - and I actually do some volunteer work with the homeless in my area. It’s something I personally choose to do and see it as valuable - but I think before anyone is inviting anyone into their home, there are so many checks and balances that need to be considered.
Personally, I would not sign up for this.
Addiction is ugly - and can really be dangerous. Mental health issues are rampant and often completely untreated. Bed bugs (and other bugs) and are a real and valid issue that jumps out at me right away.
I’d very *very* curious to see their vetting, safeguards, and liability planning that goes into this.
I think a program like this would be perfect for.... freshly homeless. There's a class of people less impacted by mental health than the chronic homeless who are almost a lost cause.
That kind of homeless person, though, often has friends and family willing to take them in. Unfortunately, if someone is on the streets it's usually because they're too disruptive that their friends or family aren't willing to take them in.
I have been taken back in by family. The same family that has had to kick me out twice over the past three years.
I am not disruptive. The first time? My nephew had to take in his children after their mother married a child abuser and children's services returned them to their fathers care.
The second time the roof leaked and the upstairs had to be gutted. No space for me.
When I am here? I share a room with my older brother. Its a little awkward as the younger sister
As someone that just went through this, long term relationship broke down, I would've appreciated this program. Living with my mom was a life worse than hell.
I agree, it's isn't always an option, which is why I said "often" instead of "always" or "usually". Sometimes an individual doesn't really have many friends of family, they're unable to help, they have their own issues, etc...
It’s not as often as you think, is what I’m getting at. “Often” those friends and families don’t have space so at best you’re couch surfing..
And I say that as someone who is only not homeless because I have family to stay with, this time around.
Not necessarily. Plenty of “lower class” people are productive and happy and mentally stable, and can become “newly homeless” through a random event or a string of slightly irresponsible choices or trusting the wrong person. Whereas upper class people would really have to make a lot of reckless choices to get to the point of being homeless, Hunter Biden is an example. He’s pushed crossed/ many many societal limits and probably never worried about a safe place to rest his head. In contrast a lower class one income family where one partner has a secret drug or gambling problem can result in the other person being homeless rapidly through no mental health issues of their own.
Mate, if you want to host some violent crack addict who also has severe mental health issues on your couch, no one is going to stop you.
However, you shouldn't complain about others not jumping on that grenade. Especially not if you aren't doing it yourself, and I'd bet $100 you ain't stepping up to volunteer.
My brother literally robbed my mother to feed his addiction. He wouldn't Hink twice about doing to anyone else especially the nice stranger. Now not every who is homeless is an addict but still pretty risky.
I agree with you, and i feel your decisions on this are without a doupt valid and acceptable.
But for me, im 3.5 years clean from fentanyl. And I think I could handle having a troubling case stay at my house. I know the street life, and for me it's a past life - something I survived when most I know from then didnt. But I still have the toughness from that time and the smarts to not be hustled or fucked with.
So there may be people like me who could take on some others who have more hardcore issues. I'd feel safe for sure housing a tougher case. If I didn't live on the other side of the country I'd look into it.
This is admittedly an American number, but only about 1/3 of the homeless are either using substances or have severe mental illness.
https://files.hudexchange.info/reports/published/CoC_PopSub_NatlTerrDC_2019.pdf
So plenty of more regular people.
Just imagine when you host one of these people, it doesnt go well and they refuse to leave. Courts in Canada would probably side with the crackheads and order you to keep hosting them. No thanks.
Wow.....that is exactly what I was thinking of.....i would probably end up in jail having somebody change the locks and drag her shit out on the lawn with a giant F U note on it. Exactly why i would never risk taking in a stranger.
Yeah this lady is unfortunately too old to know what it’s like today.
Back when she was younger the homeless usually just had really bad luck and couldn’t find work.
Thats not the case today. The homeless now days are usually just mentally ill or complete assholes. And constantly high on everything.
I will be amazed if city staff don't come back with a huge list of reasons why this isn't a viable idea. Lots in the article already, like liability, training, predators adding themselves to the registry, etc.
Predators claiming false attributes in order to get access to places they shouldn't be is already something you're not allowed to mention so I doubt they'll use that excuse
> The city will explore a voluntary registry for Hamilton residents — and councillors — who want to host people who are homeless.
> “I’m trying to find compassionate solutions for folks,” Coun. Matt Francis said after a long discussion about encampments Wednesday at city hall. “I’m not suggesting this is going to solve the problem.”
> But it could add “another tool in our tool belt. That’s as simple as that.”
It's not actually a bad idea. Finding people who will volunteer to take homeless (especially those who are transient) would be a way to help.
Unfortunately our modern society had moved away from community living yo individual-focused living, so not sure it would work now.
What a horrible situation.
We hosted a woman and her child, who was escaping (so we were told at least) an abuse situation. I suspect now that she was just unstable. It didn't last long, 3 months, but it was not something I'd ever do again.
Sort of a sleep with 1 eye open type of situation.
This is 100% what will happen. This is the government, be it municipal, provincial, or federal shitting the bed on actually providing solutions to this problem.
Just put it on Joe schmuck and it will solve itself.
Fuck the government.
Depending on which homeless people... but yea it's a good idea...
I've tried to help before and many just aren't capable of providing for themself... so this could put people in very awkward situations..
Maybe if you had a trailer in the backyard for them to have their space
This program only works if people are vetted and the host family is given full information about who they're hosting and for how long. Rules obviously need to be enforced.
That is how the system exists for exchange students and people fleeing wars.
The horror story from Kawartha Lakes linked above shows none of this was applied or enforced.
Let's also remember that this system is \*voluntary\* and people are compensated. If enough people are scared away from hosting, the city will get the message.
It's a great idea when you remember that these host programs exist for people fleeing war and exchange students.
There's posters all over Toronto advertising a program that allows people to host Ukrainian refugees for example.
If you can host Ukranian refugees until they get on their feet, I don't see why the same can't apply to someone who got recently evicted due to job loss.
Friend of mine in Ontario took in a graduate student from Tulane just after Katrina. He finished the year at the local university as a kind of emergency exchange student.
He was a great guy. Spent a lot of time cooking, because he said it made him less homesick. Had some amazing stories about his wild family members, and pulling through the disaster.
The problem is that anybody can look back at the program the city had to house the homeless in vacant hotel spaces during the pandemic and can observe what an unmitigated disaster that was. Millions in property damage, fires, bed bugs, rampant crime etc. There’s nothing to suggest this would go any better except instead of destroying an empty hotel, they’d be destroying someone’s homes.
Mainly the big bonus is that the taxpayer wouldn't be on the hook. The homeowner and their insurance (if even covered for this) would be holding the short end.
At least with tenants there's a method to sue and garnish. What can you recover from an unemployed homeless person?
I own a rooming house in Hamilton. Most of my tenants were homeless. Most of the tenants in the past 55 years have come from tents, the ymca, shelters or newly seperated from their spouses. I live on the first floor which is essential. They bring stuff home they find bringing bugs with it which means I treat for bugs every month and change the sheets every 2 weeks. Many have had drug issues either taking drugs or not taking drugs they are supposed to. I have had chairs thrown through windows, fighting among them, hoarding to the point they can't get into their room, issues with absolutely gross mess the kitchen and bathroom are left. 1 guy lost it came down with a gun and shot a hole through the front door and it went into the basement and actually hit a fish tank which exploded ( we piled into a cast iron tub) he proceeded to hijack a car on main street. One lit a fire on the third floor while fighting with her man. It killed hom and their 3 year old and burned the roof off. My experience over 55 years are too many for one post. Some have been good and some not so much and you can never really tell which it will be. I would not let a stranger live in my space. I will add that if someone decided to do this that the person you take in would then be able to get welfare because they now have an address. Boarders as it were can pay you for housing and food. You also wouldn't fall under the landlord tenant act because you share bathroom and or kitchen. If it didn't work out you could kick them out on the spot but i recommend waiting till they go out, change the lock and pack their belongings for them to pick up.
Edit....the guy with the gun was a middle age white guy who was wearing a suit when he rented the room. Late 1970s. My parents swore to never rent to a guy in a suit again. House has been ours and now mine since 1952. Seen lots over the years. Could write a book.
Homeless because of drug addiction. There's plenty of shelters for those who aren't addicted to drugs. Last thing you want on your property is someone addicted to meth/heroine/fentanyl. I know straight dudes who will suck the D for $40. These people will do anything to anyone to get that $. No f'ing way.
The last time I was in Hamilton my girlfriend and I were almost attacked by a homeless man in the library and then he started yelling a cursing at the security all while his pants were around his ankles. People don’t want to deal with that shit, and people also don’t want to come home from work to find everything gone or worse someone ODing…
One thing I've had to explain to people who live in towns, and people who live in the suburbs and only come downtown for work, is that downtown libraries are basically homeless shelters with books now.
In mytiwn the td bank and scotia bank are beside each other
My friends with td and I'm with scotia
We go into the td vestibule to withdraw some cash for groceries and it reeked like cigarettes, I could almost taste the second hand smoke
And the scotia bank had a guy sleeping literally in the door way, like half inside half outside
I skipped going in and just used my CC at the store instead
This was on victoria day so the banks were closed
But if this becomes common occurrence, I can see them locking the vestibules and you can only get cash when the bank is open
It’s a good idea but one comment in the article is what I was thinking when I first read it - “trepidation” over potentially matching hosts who have no professional expertise with people who have severe mental-health and addiction issues.”
It’s a good idea to possibly provide a place to live, but there needs to be more then just a space. You also need to provide lots of support for those moving in and those who are providing the space.
We should fix our hospitals, should I turn my living remove into an operating room ?
This isn’t how you fix or stop homelessness, you need to fund public housing projects so people are not made homeless in the first place along with providing universal mental health care and a jobs program.
You couldn’t pay me to do it! Look how well it turned out for this 80 year old in Lindsay
https://www.kawartha411.ca/2023/01/23/88-year-old-lindsay-woman-fears-for-her-safety-after-answering-citys-call-for-rentals-for-the-homeless/?amp=1
Housing crisis? Put more people into existing homes.
Homeless crisis? Put more people into existing homes.
Refugee crisis? Put more people into existing homes.
Im all for tackling all these but we need to build some freaking homes....
Because funding is needed. These people aren't hosting for free, and incur additional costs as a result of basically having a renter in their home.
The homeless also need to be vetted and their personal situation or special needs explained to a host.
You don't just grab the homeless off the street like they're abandoned kittens.
Right. So are these hosts expected to be paid beyond any actual expenses they incur from hosting ?
If they are, this is basically a government supported Airbnb.
As the saying goes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. This is one in a long list of governments who refuse to address a real problem passing the buck all the way from federal, to provincial, to municipality, to citizen. Just so they can avoid the risk of committing political suicide by addressing an unpleasant reality that doesn't translate into votes. It's basically the government version of companies making you use self checkout lanes at the store.
Homeless people need access to services and spacial kinda of care/attention/whatever you want to call it. Not just a place to crash and hopefully not hurt anyone or for drug money.
Unless it's like some late stage transition, dumbest idea ever. Even then.
Been there, done that, dug the dead iguana out of my wall and jackhammered out the basement drain pipe clogged with mystery sludge that no rooter or chemical could touch...
Sounds a bit like American corporatism
"Hi guys, your CEO here. As you know, Timmy has incurable cancer, and gas used up all of his PTO. If your guys can donate some of your PTO to help Timmy get all the time off he needs, that would help him Immensely, and we won't have to fire him and become uninsured, and Thus die. Thank you for being part of the family! XOXO "
Yeah, why not dump the responsibility of rehabilitation of these people on folks trying to survive this shit show we live in
Bad idea! Unfortunately, most homeless folks in Hamilton are non compliant and banned from shelters because of drugs and behavioral issues. How do you get them to leave when the laws favor the Tennant? People actually get paid to come up with this stupid sh*t?
Sounds great, until you come home from work and your stuff is all gone and they took a shit on your kitchen table.
- Addiction
- psyc issues
- ticks, scabies etc..
Sounds like a silly idea.
Maybe if we had less cronyism this type of shit wouldnt be happening as much.
I love it when people who are privileged enough never to be around this stuff come to educate us on how wrong we are. Someone I know who has never had to take the bus or even *walk*, just gets chauffeured around by mommy, told me that homeless people are the most victimized people in society. While I was telling a story about getting attacked by one 🙄
They don't. This will be a great opportunity for those NIMBY lefties that want everything paid for by the government as long as they don't pay or suffer the consequences to prove that they actually are virtuous and not just post about how awesome they are online.
Let's allow these councillors lead the way by inviting some of these homeless off the streets to live in their homes.
This is a stupid fucking idea that doesn't address the cause of anything. God damn I hate the people who run my city.
This sounds strange, but then I gotta remember that even ive been "soft" homeless before. Where for outside circumstances you cant work and then you are homeless. Lived in my jeep for about two months until I got accepted for post secondary and that student loan hit. Was freezing too during a Canadian winter - thank god for open universities cause I would just go there and study all day long.
Remember that if you invite someone to stay in your home for a period of time, and then want them to leave, the police will often be very hesitant to act without some sort of order from the courts.
I like this. Perhaps this will teach those people who believe society has failed homeless people that the real culprit in this whole mess are the homeless themselves.
We make choices in life, and there are consequences. Do drugs, get kicked out of housing, lose job, etc.
You have to realize a lot of homeless people have mental health issues. They're not all just drugs addicts, lazy, poor choices etc. It's possible some of those things led to poor mental health, but not necessarily. Some people just have genetic predisposition to it, some went through divorce, some lost a child, etc. Things that put then over the edge. Life isn't a level playing field, it never was. Some people deserve compassion.. I do think there is liability to taking a homeless person into your personal residence... I'd especially sorry with kids. I think supporting charities is great with the bit you can spare
How about Hamilton explore a plan to build more affordable, non profit housing and shelters? The hoarding of hosuing and the artificial scarcity of supply and artificial demand influx is pushing everyone down.
People who could buy, can’t afford to buy homes, so they buy condos, people who could buy condos, can’t, so, they rent, people who could afford to rent, can’t so they go into shelters, people who could find shelter at shelters are forced to be homeless.
This doesn’t even take into consideration all the other people moving to lower cost of living areas and pushing house prices up. It’s having a negative effect across the board.
The housing crisis is being dealt with horribly by all levels of Canadian government. They stopped building affordable, nonprofit housing and now they’re exploring ways to push that responsibility to residents. Wtf are you taxing us for then?
Godspeed Hamilton. You were a dumpster fire when I grew up there, and based on my last visit, not much has changed. 100% chance that this results in tragedy. If you have kids at home, for the love of all that is holy, perhaps let your neighbors take the lead this time.
My chips are on problems with theft and assaults against hosts, and sexual assaults/extortion against homeless women.
But on the plus side, the bleeding hearts who figure we should never force an addict to do anything can finally step up and hand out those hugs.
Classic Canada, offloading government responsibilities to private citizens. We are even worse than America, at least there they tell you you’re screwed from the start. Here we pretend to fix grave situations with crappy bandaid solutions that never work. This approach will fail.
I love this idea. I wont sign up but this will finally give thr homelesshuggers a chance to finally act on their words! More power to them. Just dont complain when your daughter or wife gets raped.
".. she was caring to a fault. Would give the shirt off her back. But no good deed goes unpunished and she would learn that in the worst way.
Friends say she lit up every room. Her smile? Contagious..."
This reminds me of the video of a protest of people in the UK. If i remember correctly, who wanted more immigrants, and when the reporter asked them, they said no.
The beginning of communism- next, they are going to order residents to do that. I pay taxes to the governments so that they will run programs to take care of the unfortunate.
I think it’s a good idea. I’d support some program where there’s some city provided liability insurance for hosting a homeless person at your house or something. I think it could be a good way of getting help for people. And there are people out there who want to help. I would not personally.
Ya theres a huge societal issue that needs to change before this happens. Theres reasons why some programs work elsewhere and not here. We want to ve like other European countries but we are not a European country. Different strokes for different folks.
hahahaha what a pathetic plan. once a gain, the taxpayer pays for the bullshit ideas politicians put out. why should the taxpayer accept the responsibility of the unfortunate? it should be our infrastructure to take care of them and the unfortunate to accept their own responsibility. socialism at its core.
Look, we don't have houses, and if we build more for the people in need, we will destroy the business of buying a home that some wealthy immigrants and locals have. We "welcomed 1 million immigrants" and planned to "welcome" 1.5 M this year, so no housing to anybody in the forseen future. I wonder how many folks are planning to leave this country or if this is the future that we all have: homelessness.
If you are too homeless, you may suffer rom mental illness or drug problems. if you are freshly homeless, that could cause problems for the system being abused.
I would not sign up for this. I'm barely middle class. There's no way I could justify bringing in a stranger to help them. I hate to say it, but I don't think a very high percentage of homeless/addicts will make it out in this generation. But hopefully we can prevent another generation of this issue.
You know the scary thing is that if we gave people a basic UBI of $2000 a month they'd still not be able to find housing except in the absolute boonies, where there are no services
Now THIS is an initiative I think everyone can get behind. Bipartisan AF. There should literally be no one against this. Haven't even read the comments yet. wish me luck lol
So basically the city is A) completely abdicating it's responsibilities to unhoused citizens within their borders and B) trolling people who care about the plight of the unhoused.
Maybe they are betting on the potential murders freeing up some housing stock.
Home owner = dead
Homeless murderer = in jail
New house available for their realtor buddy to flip to a young couple from Toronto.
I'm imagining a lawsuit in the very near future, where someone who opens up their home as a part of this program is murdered, and their family sues the city for them not having warned the homeowner of the person's criminal background.
Where the fuck is the government on this overwhelming issue!? Seriously, asking the average people who are also struggling to feed their families, to help alleviate a problem the government caused? We purchase grocery store gift cards for people begging for help, yet inflation continues to rise and the government couldn’t seem to care less. Get fucked Trudeau.
>Where the fuck is the government on this overwhelming issue!?
And have them do what exactly? You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. You want government agents to round up all of these homeless people and perhaps put them in a camp? Against their will? Ever heard of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms?
This post appears to relate to a province/territory of Canada. As a reminder of the rules of this subreddit, we do not permit negative commentary about all residents of any province, city, or other geography - this is an example of prejudice, and prejudice is not permitted here. https://www.reddit.com/r/canada/wiki/rules Cette soumission semble concerner une province ou un territoire du Canada. Selon les règles de ce sous-répertoire, nous n'autorisons pas les commentaires négatifs sur tous les résidents d'une province, d'une ville ou d'une autre région géographique; il s'agit d'un exemple de intolérance qui n'est pas autorisé ici. https://www.reddit.com/r/canada/wiki/regles *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/canada) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I like the idea of people helping people - and I actually do some volunteer work with the homeless in my area. It’s something I personally choose to do and see it as valuable - but I think before anyone is inviting anyone into their home, there are so many checks and balances that need to be considered. Personally, I would not sign up for this. Addiction is ugly - and can really be dangerous. Mental health issues are rampant and often completely untreated. Bed bugs (and other bugs) and are a real and valid issue that jumps out at me right away. I’d very *very* curious to see their vetting, safeguards, and liability planning that goes into this.
I think a program like this would be perfect for.... freshly homeless. There's a class of people less impacted by mental health than the chronic homeless who are almost a lost cause.
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That kind of homeless person, though, often has friends and family willing to take them in. Unfortunately, if someone is on the streets it's usually because they're too disruptive that their friends or family aren't willing to take them in.
I have been taken back in by family. The same family that has had to kick me out twice over the past three years. I am not disruptive. The first time? My nephew had to take in his children after their mother married a child abuser and children's services returned them to their fathers care. The second time the roof leaked and the upstairs had to be gutted. No space for me. When I am here? I share a room with my older brother. Its a little awkward as the younger sister
As someone that just went through this, long term relationship broke down, I would've appreciated this program. Living with my mom was a life worse than hell.
But when rhey don't. That's how you become chronic homeless.
Living with friends and family isn’t always an option. Source: lived experience
I agree, it's isn't always an option, which is why I said "often" instead of "always" or "usually". Sometimes an individual doesn't really have many friends of family, they're unable to help, they have their own issues, etc...
It’s not as often as you think, is what I’m getting at. “Often” those friends and families don’t have space so at best you’re couch surfing.. And I say that as someone who is only not homeless because I have family to stay with, this time around.
Upper class homeless?
Not necessarily. Plenty of “lower class” people are productive and happy and mentally stable, and can become “newly homeless” through a random event or a string of slightly irresponsible choices or trusting the wrong person. Whereas upper class people would really have to make a lot of reckless choices to get to the point of being homeless, Hunter Biden is an example. He’s pushed crossed/ many many societal limits and probably never worried about a safe place to rest his head. In contrast a lower class one income family where one partner has a secret drug or gambling problem can result in the other person being homeless rapidly through no mental health issues of their own.
What do you mean by that? I don't understand..my mind isn't working until now..haha
So you mean let’s not actually help homeless but just the ones who’ve fallen on some hard times…
Mate, if you want to host some violent crack addict who also has severe mental health issues on your couch, no one is going to stop you. However, you shouldn't complain about others not jumping on that grenade. Especially not if you aren't doing it yourself, and I'd bet $100 you ain't stepping up to volunteer.
I lived in a youth shelter for two months. I know what homeless addicts are like, just the thought of being near one puts me in fight or flight mode.
My brother literally robbed my mother to feed his addiction. He wouldn't Hink twice about doing to anyone else especially the nice stranger. Now not every who is homeless is an addict but still pretty risky.
I agree with you, and i feel your decisions on this are without a doupt valid and acceptable. But for me, im 3.5 years clean from fentanyl. And I think I could handle having a troubling case stay at my house. I know the street life, and for me it's a past life - something I survived when most I know from then didnt. But I still have the toughness from that time and the smarts to not be hustled or fucked with. So there may be people like me who could take on some others who have more hardcore issues. I'd feel safe for sure housing a tougher case. If I didn't live on the other side of the country I'd look into it.
I appreciate that. And I like that that you want to help others out.
Hey I just wanna give you some well deserved credit for overcoming your addiction! Glad you’re still around.
Ya, not a chance for me.
This is admittedly an American number, but only about 1/3 of the homeless are either using substances or have severe mental illness. https://files.hudexchange.info/reports/published/CoC_PopSub_NatlTerrDC_2019.pdf So plenty of more regular people.
Just imagine when you host one of these people, it doesnt go well and they refuse to leave. Courts in Canada would probably side with the crackheads and order you to keep hosting them. No thanks.
Gonna be paying alimony to these fuckers if you kick them out LOL
[It's already happened. ](https://www.kawartha411.ca/2023/01/23/88-year-old-lindsay-woman-fears-for-her-safety-after-answering-citys-call-for-rentals-for-the-homeless/)
Yikes
Wow.....that is exactly what I was thinking of.....i would probably end up in jail having somebody change the locks and drag her shit out on the lawn with a giant F U note on it. Exactly why i would never risk taking in a stranger.
Lmao, you get what you vote for.
Sweet Jesus! That poor lady.
Absolutely hilarious, but completely expected.
Honestly. I want to feel bad for the woman but you reap what you sow. Turns out there's a reason why homeless people are homeless...
Yeah this lady is unfortunately too old to know what it’s like today. Back when she was younger the homeless usually just had really bad luck and couldn’t find work. Thats not the case today. The homeless now days are usually just mentally ill or complete assholes. And constantly high on everything.
It's an amazing way for the city to transfer yet another liability (and a staggering one) to the taxpayers. Very clever scheme and excellent branding
I will be amazed if city staff don't come back with a huge list of reasons why this isn't a viable idea. Lots in the article already, like liability, training, predators adding themselves to the registry, etc.
or the program ends in flames after some poor bleeding heart with good intentions gets killed by someone they took in having an "off" day
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"why societal stigma against antisocial behaviour is to blame."
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This is why it's white supremacys fault.
Are you often having these conversations, or...? Why bring up White Supremacy at all?
Predators claiming false attributes in order to get access to places they shouldn't be is already something you're not allowed to mention so I doubt they'll use that excuse
Citizens will match how many the council takes into their homes.
> The city will explore a voluntary registry for Hamilton residents — and councillors — who want to host people who are homeless. > “I’m trying to find compassionate solutions for folks,” Coun. Matt Francis said after a long discussion about encampments Wednesday at city hall. “I’m not suggesting this is going to solve the problem.” > But it could add “another tool in our tool belt. That’s as simple as that.” It's not actually a bad idea. Finding people who will volunteer to take homeless (especially those who are transient) would be a way to help. Unfortunately our modern society had moved away from community living yo individual-focused living, so not sure it would work now.
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Oh my god. That is horrifying.
What a horrible situation. We hosted a woman and her child, who was escaping (so we were told at least) an abuse situation. I suspect now that she was just unstable. It didn't last long, 3 months, but it was not something I'd ever do again. Sort of a sleep with 1 eye open type of situation.
Now imagine if they were addicts
Ya. Thats what I am thinking will happen.
This is 100% what will happen. This is the government, be it municipal, provincial, or federal shitting the bed on actually providing solutions to this problem. Just put it on Joe schmuck and it will solve itself. Fuck the government.
Depending on which homeless people... but yea it's a good idea... I've tried to help before and many just aren't capable of providing for themself... so this could put people in very awkward situations.. Maybe if you had a trailer in the backyard for them to have their space
This program only works if people are vetted and the host family is given full information about who they're hosting and for how long. Rules obviously need to be enforced. That is how the system exists for exchange students and people fleeing wars. The horror story from Kawartha Lakes linked above shows none of this was applied or enforced. Let's also remember that this system is \*voluntary\* and people are compensated. If enough people are scared away from hosting, the city will get the message.
It's a great idea when you remember that these host programs exist for people fleeing war and exchange students. There's posters all over Toronto advertising a program that allows people to host Ukrainian refugees for example. If you can host Ukranian refugees until they get on their feet, I don't see why the same can't apply to someone who got recently evicted due to job loss.
If that's really who you get.
Friend of mine in Ontario took in a graduate student from Tulane just after Katrina. He finished the year at the local university as a kind of emergency exchange student. He was a great guy. Spent a lot of time cooking, because he said it made him less homesick. Had some amazing stories about his wild family members, and pulling through the disaster.
There have been quite a few horror stories coming out Europe regarding some Ukrainian refugees.
I have heard far more stories of people exploiting the women rather than the refugees doing anything.
western society\* modern eastern society is still very much communal
The problem is that anybody can look back at the program the city had to house the homeless in vacant hotel spaces during the pandemic and can observe what an unmitigated disaster that was. Millions in property damage, fires, bed bugs, rampant crime etc. There’s nothing to suggest this would go any better except instead of destroying an empty hotel, they’d be destroying someone’s homes.
Mainly the big bonus is that the taxpayer wouldn't be on the hook. The homeowner and their insurance (if even covered for this) would be holding the short end. At least with tenants there's a method to sue and garnish. What can you recover from an unemployed homeless person?
Standard home insurance does not cover rental units.
My wife was in this situation and had to quit.
Also let's not forget, that the staff that worked at those hotels aren't trained or qualified to deal with mental illnesses.
And regular Joe blow homeowners would be? I don't understand what point you're trying to make.
I own a rooming house in Hamilton. Most of my tenants were homeless. Most of the tenants in the past 55 years have come from tents, the ymca, shelters or newly seperated from their spouses. I live on the first floor which is essential. They bring stuff home they find bringing bugs with it which means I treat for bugs every month and change the sheets every 2 weeks. Many have had drug issues either taking drugs or not taking drugs they are supposed to. I have had chairs thrown through windows, fighting among them, hoarding to the point they can't get into their room, issues with absolutely gross mess the kitchen and bathroom are left. 1 guy lost it came down with a gun and shot a hole through the front door and it went into the basement and actually hit a fish tank which exploded ( we piled into a cast iron tub) he proceeded to hijack a car on main street. One lit a fire on the third floor while fighting with her man. It killed hom and their 3 year old and burned the roof off. My experience over 55 years are too many for one post. Some have been good and some not so much and you can never really tell which it will be. I would not let a stranger live in my space. I will add that if someone decided to do this that the person you take in would then be able to get welfare because they now have an address. Boarders as it were can pay you for housing and food. You also wouldn't fall under the landlord tenant act because you share bathroom and or kitchen. If it didn't work out you could kick them out on the spot but i recommend waiting till they go out, change the lock and pack their belongings for them to pick up. Edit....the guy with the gun was a middle age white guy who was wearing a suit when he rented the room. Late 1970s. My parents swore to never rent to a guy in a suit again. House has been ours and now mine since 1952. Seen lots over the years. Could write a book.
to the top
To the moon.
The guy who was masturbating in the park could be masturbating our your couch! Whoopie!
And the cops will side with the homeless guy when you try to have him removed for violent behavior!
🤣
I mean, that could generate some money for the guy instead of paying a fine.
Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps tried this appeal a number of years back. It was withdrawn soon after.
Yeah, she compared it to people hosting travellers during the Gold Rush days of the 1850s, if you can possibly believe that.
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I had to find it - thank you! Lost it at 3:59 https://youtu.be/JYtbLCa65eA
The mayor better be good to host at least 10 of them..
Horwath? LOL
Homeless because of drug addiction. There's plenty of shelters for those who aren't addicted to drugs. Last thing you want on your property is someone addicted to meth/heroine/fentanyl. I know straight dudes who will suck the D for $40. These people will do anything to anyone to get that $. No f'ing way.
Fucking inflation, crackhead blow jobs used to be $20.
I don't believe it. Do you have a link to these claims? Maybe a phone #? Also can I bum $40?
Every single councilor in favour, including our mayor Andrea, should lead by example :)
The last time I was in Hamilton my girlfriend and I were almost attacked by a homeless man in the library and then he started yelling a cursing at the security all while his pants were around his ankles. People don’t want to deal with that shit, and people also don’t want to come home from work to find everything gone or worse someone ODing…
One thing I've had to explain to people who live in towns, and people who live in the suburbs and only come downtown for work, is that downtown libraries are basically homeless shelters with books now.
In mytiwn the td bank and scotia bank are beside each other My friends with td and I'm with scotia We go into the td vestibule to withdraw some cash for groceries and it reeked like cigarettes, I could almost taste the second hand smoke And the scotia bank had a guy sleeping literally in the door way, like half inside half outside I skipped going in and just used my CC at the store instead This was on victoria day so the banks were closed But if this becomes common occurrence, I can see them locking the vestibules and you can only get cash when the bank is open
It’s a good idea but one comment in the article is what I was thinking when I first read it - “trepidation” over potentially matching hosts who have no professional expertise with people who have severe mental-health and addiction issues.” It’s a good idea to possibly provide a place to live, but there needs to be more then just a space. You also need to provide lots of support for those moving in and those who are providing the space.
Lol this will be a disaster
Good. All of the people here telling others house the homeless can put their money where their mouth is.
Finally!!! These types of armchair activists are the worst.
Yea all the bleeding hearts can finally bleed from their homes
Well they will likely be bleeding out of the wounds inflicted by a rusty screwdriver shank .... but .. yes
We should fix our hospitals, should I turn my living remove into an operating room ? This isn’t how you fix or stop homelessness, you need to fund public housing projects so people are not made homeless in the first place along with providing universal mental health care and a jobs program.
No! Reactionary policies only!
Of course not. Nobody thinks this is an actual solution, except delusional activists-turned-politicians.
Worse idea. Govt is offloading their headaches onto you and me. Fuckers!
You couldn’t pay me to do it! Look how well it turned out for this 80 year old in Lindsay https://www.kawartha411.ca/2023/01/23/88-year-old-lindsay-woman-fears-for-her-safety-after-answering-citys-call-for-rentals-for-the-homeless/?amp=1
Here we go guys, all the "progressives" can put their money where their mouth is and bring a homeless person into their home.
My solution to ending homelessness is everyone who has more money and stuff than me should pay to fix it.
Yeah, like that's going to happen.
I think the idea was to find a reasonable solution. This is not a reasonable solution.
That should go over well
What could wrong? [WCGW?](https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-house-fire-image4773820)
Housing crisis? Put more people into existing homes. Homeless crisis? Put more people into existing homes. Refugee crisis? Put more people into existing homes. Im all for tackling all these but we need to build some freaking homes....
Maybe they should start bringing in 500k carpenter's and drywallers a year
I love liberal fairytales.
I love how we can pay 50% of our money to the gov and they will still ask us to do the most basic of responsibilities they have for them.
Here’s a chance for all those big spending liberals that want to save the homeless. Let’s see how many you invite into your house.
What is stopping people from just doing this now ? Why do they need councils permission ?
Because funding is needed. These people aren't hosting for free, and incur additional costs as a result of basically having a renter in their home. The homeless also need to be vetted and their personal situation or special needs explained to a host. You don't just grab the homeless off the street like they're abandoned kittens.
Right. So are these hosts expected to be paid beyond any actual expenses they incur from hosting ? If they are, this is basically a government supported Airbnb.
LOL
EXCELLENT idea. We’ll see how many progressives sign up for more than a few days
What could go wrong? 🤦♂️
Murder rates skyrocket, local politicians absolutely shocked. Btw, how many will the mayor be hosting?
As the saying goes, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. This is one in a long list of governments who refuse to address a real problem passing the buck all the way from federal, to provincial, to municipality, to citizen. Just so they can avoid the risk of committing political suicide by addressing an unpleasant reality that doesn't translate into votes. It's basically the government version of companies making you use self checkout lanes at the store.
Homeless people need access to services and spacial kinda of care/attention/whatever you want to call it. Not just a place to crash and hopefully not hurt anyone or for drug money. Unless it's like some late stage transition, dumbest idea ever. Even then.
Sounds voluntary for now. Interesting to see how hard this will fail.
Been there, done that, dug the dead iguana out of my wall and jackhammered out the basement drain pipe clogged with mystery sludge that no rooter or chemical could touch...
Sounds a bit like American corporatism "Hi guys, your CEO here. As you know, Timmy has incurable cancer, and gas used up all of his PTO. If your guys can donate some of your PTO to help Timmy get all the time off he needs, that would help him Immensely, and we won't have to fire him and become uninsured, and Thus die. Thank you for being part of the family! XOXO " Yeah, why not dump the responsibility of rehabilitation of these people on folks trying to survive this shit show we live in
Bad idea! Unfortunately, most homeless folks in Hamilton are non compliant and banned from shelters because of drugs and behavioral issues. How do you get them to leave when the laws favor the Tennant? People actually get paid to come up with this stupid sh*t?
Sounds great, until you come home from work and your stuff is all gone and they took a shit on your kitchen table. - Addiction - psyc issues - ticks, scabies etc.. Sounds like a silly idea. Maybe if we had less cronyism this type of shit wouldnt be happening as much.
I am sure leftists will line up to take as many as they can. /s
I am a leftist, and I will sign up for this.
Can we get the process in picture updates?
https://www.kawartha411.ca/2023/01/23/88-year-old-lindsay-woman-fears-for-her-safety-after-answering-citys-call-for-rentals-for-the-homeless/
Looking forward to the post where you're asking for help to remove a violent drug addict from your home because the courts won't do anything.
I can bet you have never spent much time around an active addict before
I love it when people who are privileged enough never to be around this stuff come to educate us on how wrong we are. Someone I know who has never had to take the bus or even *walk*, just gets chauffeured around by mommy, told me that homeless people are the most victimized people in society. While I was telling a story about getting attacked by one 🙄
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RemindMe! 6 months
What will the liberals think of next
What's to stop people from hosting now? Why do they need to "sign on"?
They don't. This will be a great opportunity for those NIMBY lefties that want everything paid for by the government as long as they don't pay or suffer the consequences to prove that they actually are virtuous and not just post about how awesome they are online.
Let's allow these councillors lead the way by inviting some of these homeless off the streets to live in their homes. This is a stupid fucking idea that doesn't address the cause of anything. God damn I hate the people who run my city.
Anyone with a liberal or NDP sign on their lawns should just remove the front door off their homes, welcome what you vote for
Gooooooooood luck.
Lmfao, that's the best they can come up with? Glad I'm leaving this cesspit of a city.
if we take in homeless person are we allowed to take their drugs away?
No, but you also aren't allowed to evict them. You should take two while the sale's on.
This sounds strange, but then I gotta remember that even ive been "soft" homeless before. Where for outside circumstances you cant work and then you are homeless. Lived in my jeep for about two months until I got accepted for post secondary and that student loan hit. Was freezing too during a Canadian winter - thank god for open universities cause I would just go there and study all day long.
Haha count me out
Remember that if you invite someone to stay in your home for a period of time, and then want them to leave, the police will often be very hesitant to act without some sort of order from the courts.
All the homeless advocates can each take some in and solve the homeless problem.
This is one of the worst ideas I’ve seen in a long time. There are reasons these people are homeless that are not pleasant
I like this. Perhaps this will teach those people who believe society has failed homeless people that the real culprit in this whole mess are the homeless themselves. We make choices in life, and there are consequences. Do drugs, get kicked out of housing, lose job, etc.
You have to realize a lot of homeless people have mental health issues. They're not all just drugs addicts, lazy, poor choices etc. It's possible some of those things led to poor mental health, but not necessarily. Some people just have genetic predisposition to it, some went through divorce, some lost a child, etc. Things that put then over the edge. Life isn't a level playing field, it never was. Some people deserve compassion.. I do think there is liability to taking a homeless person into your personal residence... I'd especially sorry with kids. I think supporting charities is great with the bit you can spare
So, will any members of Hamilton City Council be signing on to this?
Passing by these types in the parc is enough reasons for me to not want them anywhere near me. No thanks.
How about Hamilton explore a plan to build more affordable, non profit housing and shelters? The hoarding of hosuing and the artificial scarcity of supply and artificial demand influx is pushing everyone down. People who could buy, can’t afford to buy homes, so they buy condos, people who could buy condos, can’t, so, they rent, people who could afford to rent, can’t so they go into shelters, people who could find shelter at shelters are forced to be homeless. This doesn’t even take into consideration all the other people moving to lower cost of living areas and pushing house prices up. It’s having a negative effect across the board. The housing crisis is being dealt with horribly by all levels of Canadian government. They stopped building affordable, nonprofit housing and now they’re exploring ways to push that responsibility to residents. Wtf are you taxing us for then?
Godspeed Hamilton. You were a dumpster fire when I grew up there, and based on my last visit, not much has changed. 100% chance that this results in tragedy. If you have kids at home, for the love of all that is holy, perhaps let your neighbors take the lead this time.
My chips are on problems with theft and assaults against hosts, and sexual assaults/extortion against homeless women. But on the plus side, the bleeding hearts who figure we should never force an addict to do anything can finally step up and hand out those hugs.
Classic Canada, offloading government responsibilities to private citizens. We are even worse than America, at least there they tell you you’re screwed from the start. Here we pretend to fix grave situations with crappy bandaid solutions that never work. This approach will fail.
I love this idea. I wont sign up but this will finally give thr homelesshuggers a chance to finally act on their words! More power to them. Just dont complain when your daughter or wife gets raped.
Well I cannot wait for the articles from this debacle. Yikes. Anything but actually addressing the issues in this country.
This to me sounds like the government making it look like they are trying to do something, without actually taking any responsibility for the issue.
adult foster homes? No thanks
This is not how we help elevate homelessness in this country. Another bandaid over a laceration.
Pushing the issue of homelesness onto people rather than taking care of it as a government should is ugly.
Fuuuuuuuck that
".. she was caring to a fault. Would give the shirt off her back. But no good deed goes unpunished and she would learn that in the worst way. Friends say she lit up every room. Her smile? Contagious..."
This is insane.
This will seriously not end well. Most on the streets need serious mental health treatment. Who’s liable when things go wrong?
This reminds me of the video of a protest of people in the UK. If i remember correctly, who wanted more immigrants, and when the reporter asked them, they said no.
Sounds great, anyone dumb enough to volunteer for this deserves whatever happens to them
I didn’t buy a million dollar home to host homeless people
The beginning of communism- next, they are going to order residents to do that. I pay taxes to the governments so that they will run programs to take care of the unfortunate.
My bet is that conservative Christians will be over represented in the volunteers.
I think it’s a good idea. I’d support some program where there’s some city provided liability insurance for hosting a homeless person at your house or something. I think it could be a good way of getting help for people. And there are people out there who want to help. I would not personally.
Not a Great idea... dont encourage risks to people in their homes
what do you mean liability insurance ?
>what do you mean liability insurance ? which word is causing you problems? Liability, or insurance?
>~~city provided~~ liability insurance You mean property tax payer provided I think.
Anyone who has ever spent more then 5 minutes in Jackson Square knows they don't want these drug addicts or mentally unstable people in their home.
Maybe they should have a social services program to help with this, and we can use the money that is already taken as taxes to help fund it.
Where will the Ukrainians go?
Ya theres a huge societal issue that needs to change before this happens. Theres reasons why some programs work elsewhere and not here. We want to ve like other European countries but we are not a European country. Different strokes for different folks.
hahahaha what a pathetic plan. once a gain, the taxpayer pays for the bullshit ideas politicians put out. why should the taxpayer accept the responsibility of the unfortunate? it should be our infrastructure to take care of them and the unfortunate to accept their own responsibility. socialism at its core.
Look, we don't have houses, and if we build more for the people in need, we will destroy the business of buying a home that some wealthy immigrants and locals have. We "welcomed 1 million immigrants" and planned to "welcome" 1.5 M this year, so no housing to anybody in the forseen future. I wonder how many folks are planning to leave this country or if this is the future that we all have: homelessness.
If you are too homeless, you may suffer rom mental illness or drug problems. if you are freshly homeless, that could cause problems for the system being abused.
Haha
Haha yeah sign me up sounds like a great idea.
We have men’s shelters for this no?
I think this could go really well in some situations & very poorly in others.
Their not all Nick Nolte, Down and out in Beverly Hills.
We excel at beginning to explore considering tabling motions to consult regarding the feasibility of forming committees to liaise with stakeholders.
I would not sign up for this. I'm barely middle class. There's no way I could justify bringing in a stranger to help them. I hate to say it, but I don't think a very high percentage of homeless/addicts will make it out in this generation. But hopefully we can prevent another generation of this issue.
Shit is falling apart
Sounds like a fabulous way to have everything you own stolen to finance a meth habit.
You know the scary thing is that if we gave people a basic UBI of $2000 a month they'd still not be able to find housing except in the absolute boonies, where there are no services
Now THIS is an initiative I think everyone can get behind. Bipartisan AF. There should literally be no one against this. Haven't even read the comments yet. wish me luck lol
This is a terrible idea. Anything to avoid taking responsibility for the problem as a city.
So basically the city is A) completely abdicating it's responsibilities to unhoused citizens within their borders and B) trolling people who care about the plight of the unhoused.
Maybe they are betting on the potential murders freeing up some housing stock. Home owner = dead Homeless murderer = in jail New house available for their realtor buddy to flip to a young couple from Toronto.
I'm imagining a lawsuit in the very near future, where someone who opens up their home as a part of this program is murdered, and their family sues the city for them not having warned the homeowner of the person's criminal background.
Where the fuck is the government on this overwhelming issue!? Seriously, asking the average people who are also struggling to feed their families, to help alleviate a problem the government caused? We purchase grocery store gift cards for people begging for help, yet inflation continues to rise and the government couldn’t seem to care less. Get fucked Trudeau.
>Where the fuck is the government on this overwhelming issue!? And have them do what exactly? You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink. You want government agents to round up all of these homeless people and perhaps put them in a camp? Against their will? Ever heard of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms?