The solutions are simple – they are not easy

Think Philanthropically

Some readers have expressed concern about the recent report that identified a big increase in the population experiencing homelessness. Yes, the challenge of visible homelessness is growing, and we face increasing complexity in the ecosystem. This is not the reality we faced in 1974 or even 2014. A concerned citizen recently heard me on a local radio station talking about a number of our challenging social issues. He said; “Sam, you make it sound simple to fix problems like poverty, hunger and homelessness.  If it is so simple, why are we not doing it?”

“There are departments of health, social services and housing in all three levels of government. Everyone is concerned but nobody is accountable.”

Many of our complex social problems can be addressed with simple solutions. They may take a bit of time to implement. However, there is a big chasm between knowing what to do and putting a simple solution into operation. Hence a simple response to a challenge can be difficult operationally.  Let’s look at a very specific example that might illustrate the point.

A complex social problem like homelessness can be resolved by ensuring that everyone has access to adequate housing and ensuring that the most vulnerable people are supported in their residence by wrap around psychosocial services in order help them remain in housing. Simple. It also happens to be an economically intelligent option because the cost of providing services to a vulnerable individual who is unhoused is higher than the cost of providing them with housing and support services.

This is a relatively simple concept. It is an approach that has proven to be successful all around the world. More than 600 Montrealers are living in apartments today using a housing model pioneered by Projet Logement Montreal (PLM) in 2016. It is not the only solution – there are a number of other companion housing models that work for people who have complex requirements. So then, why do we continue to see visible homelessness growing in our cities? It is because this simple solution has not been universally adopted and supported with adequate government funding.

There are two reasons:

1. 1. Nobody “owns” the problem

There is no “Department of Homelessness” in any government. The responsibility is shared between various federal, provincial and municipal ministries and departments. Additionally, because it touches on basic health care, it is overseen in many jurisdictions by health care agencies. To add to the potential for confusion there are departments of health, social services and housing in all three levels of government. Everyone is concerned but nobody is accountable. Efforts in the past twenty years have mostly focused on applying emergency patches.

“It is going to take a public consensus if we want to compel our governments to adopt simple solutions that will point us in the right direction.”

2. 2. The issue has not been a “top priority” of government policy makers – or the public

Governments will usually focus on policy initiatives that are a function of key electoral promises. They are also compelled to react to emergencies that crop up as a result of unforeseen events. For example, governments have had to respond very recently with measures to assist with the large number of weather and climate incidents, from wildfires to floods. A challenge like homelessness has not historically attracted a lot of public attention. Government policy tends to move at the speed of public opinion. Until recently, the public has not demanded action.  It is going to take a public consensus (like we have in universal health care), if we want to compel our governments to adopt simple solutions that will point us in the right direction.

The good news is that the solutions are indeed simple and actionable. While implementation of the solutions is multi-layered, there is no time like the present to get started.

Sam Watts serves as the CEO of Welcome Hall Mission  www.welcomehallmission.com  He serves on several non-profit boards and is an appointed member of the National Housing Council of Canada.  He is the author of Good Work…Done Better www.goodworkdonebetter.com