We were so happy to welcome Carolina Ibarra, CEO of Pacifica Housing on Vancouver Island, to qathet to kick off our new community education series! Carolina gave a fantastic talk at the qathet Art Centre on November 14th called Finding a Path Forward: BC’s Homelessness Crisis.
Pacifica Housing provides 1,446 homes in Victoria and Nanaimo, including supportive housing, senior-specific housing, subsidized housing, and affordable market housing. Carolina shared her and Pacifica’s experience of responding to homelessness including an overview of supportive housing services, case studies of encampment response, common themes across communities, and suggestions for how communities can work together to address homelessness.
For those who were unable to attend, we asked Carolina a few questions to get to the heart of her experience providing a range of housing services in Victoria and Nanaimo, and knowledge of BC’s homelessness crisis.
What are the biggest contributing factor(s) to BC’s Homelessness Crisis? How did we get here?
There are many factors that have compounded to cause the current crisis. Canada as a whole slowed down the construction of social housing after the 70s, which means supply has not kept up with population growth. There has also been a lack of investment in repairs to older buildings, causing most of the affordable housing stock in the country to be in poor shape. Over the past decades economic disparity has also grown, while our health care system has slowly degraded. Then the Pandemic happened and those on the brink of homelessness at the time became homeless. The health care system that was already strained, nearly collapsed, so many in need of medical care could not get it which in many cases contributed to them becoming homeless. Post-pandemic inflation shot up.
Though a lot has been done in recent years – perhaps the last decade – to increase funding for housing development and related initiatives, our system has struggled to keep up with the factors I mentioned, which have made the situation precarious for many. While this phenomenon is a global one, what is unique to Canada is the impact of residential schools and the 60s scoop on the Indigenous population of our country. The inter-generational trauma inflicted that remained hidden for so long is now playing a huge role in the homelessness and health care crisis experienced by these communities. Whether we like it or not, it is a legacy we have all inherited and one we must work together to address. Ensuring all Canadians have access to appropriate housing and health will be foundational to any level of reconciliation.
How do rising experiences of homelessness present in rural/remote communities, like qathet? What is the trajectory of a homelessness crisis (e.g., what happens if it goes unaddressed)?
Often homelessness in rural/remove communities begins by remaining hidden. That is, people couch surf, shelter in the bush, live in their cars. Services are slow to develop because it is unclear what the size of the problem is. Slowly more vehicles begin to line roads and other sanitation issues may begin to arise as more people live without proper services and facilities. Vehicles break down and parking locations for them are reduced, and eventually more and more tents begin to pop up in public spaces.
For Nanaimo, a catalyst for their largest tent city was the rejection of a supportive housing site in 2018, which caused 300 people who were scattered across the City and no longer had a prospect for a place to move into, consolidated in one place.
What are some common misconceptions about homelessness and responses to it?
A common misconception is that people who are homeless are a homogeneous group and that all have mental health and addiction challenges related to hard drugs. Many people also think that most people who are homeless are “unhousable” and need some kind of involuntary care. While there certainly are many people who have complex mental health and substance use challenges, many have simply fallen on hard times.
We see more and more seniors or individuals who had faced health challenges, which caused them to lose their jobs and then their homes. We see students, construction workers, women and youth fleeing domestic violence. Some of these individuals may begin to use substances to cope with the situation they are in but will reduce or completely stop consumption once they access housing and whatever health or other supports they need.
A very small group of people need involuntary care and it is usually for short periods of time while they are assessed and medically treated for stabilization. Right now, anybody can be a homeless person unfortunately.
What are some responses to homelessness you’ve seen that haven’t worked and why didn’t they
Forcing people into a place or the first available place rarely works. People need to be a part of the process and the choice of going to shelter, housing or treatment. Their personal circumstances need to be taken into consideration – for example, families and couples will rarely agree to leave a family member on the street alone if another has been assigned housing. Pets may be the only consistent companionship and a source of comfort and calm for many, and they will understandably be unwilling to part with them in order to access housing.
There is no single solution. The most effective solutions are tailored to an individual’s needs and with their buy-in even if they are temporary and not ideal solutions. Lastly, pushing someone to go to detox or recovery without housing lined up on the other side is dangerous. It sets people up for failure or death in the worst cases, as they lose their tolerance to drugs but are left without a safety net.
What are the top three things you think are needed to address homelessness in a sustainable way?
1. Consistently building and delivering on all types of housing and supports – whether it is independent living, seniors living, supportive housing or rent supplements with light supports.
2. Encampment outreach and drop-in housing and financial navigation centres need to be plentiful and consistently available so we can catch people as they are falling through the cracks.
3. Truly universal health care for all. Healthcare must focus on evidence based approaches and include mental health and psychiatric supports for everyone who needs them. Too many people are ending up homeless because they can’t get the healthcare they need – whether it is medication for chronic pain, treatment for addiction or care for more complex psychiatric issues.
What can individual communities do to help implement positive change?
The good news is that there are many proven solutions and interventions. Smaller communities where these issues are starting to grow are at a place where they can implement these solutions to stop the decline. Communities can work with service providers to articulate and advocate for the range of services your community needs. Encourage government to deliver what you need. Smaller communities can come together to advocate for and share resources. Most people want the same outcomes so we need to find a way forward together that supports the individuals on the ground doing the work and provides hope to our homeless neighbors that their community is there for them.
Thanks so much to Carolina for visiting us and sharing her experience! Stay tuned for our next community education session, coming in February.