Success more likely when people have supports
By Lethbridge Herald on December 14, 2022.
Editor:
Re: Action Needed to address homeless situation:
Good for the LH Editorial Board! Action is definitely needed to address the homeless situation.
When I had relatives living close to downtown, we saw homeless people every single day rummaging through garbage and sleeping in parks. A couple of years ago, The Mustard Seed came to Lethbridge. That group has lots of experience helping communities find solutions to homelessness. As soon as people become homeless, their problems escalate dramatically.
The Mustard Seed proposed transforming the former Sandman Inn into affordable housing with – a critical piece – on-site supports. This move would have gone a long way to addressing the issues our downtown community still faces today. However, area neighbourhoods objected vociferously to the proposal, fearful that there would be homeless in their back alleys – when, in reality, the homeless would have been housed and would no longer be homeless. Alas, the Mustard Seed left, the problems continue, and here in the “burbs” (where I live), we are insulated by our distance from downtown.
And the homeless are still part of our community. As the Herald pointed out, individuals making the journey to sobriety must indeed take that first step themselves, whether they live in middle-class comfort or the harshness of the streets.
Nobody can do it for them. That said, success is far more likely when a person has supports and a home. Indeed, for all of us, our journeys are easier when someone walks beside us.
Leslie Lavers
Lethbridge
10-9
I believe it was the currently named Ramada at 13th Ave and MMDr. S. Smack dab between a junior high school and an elementary school. It is no where near downtown. As for out in the burbs you wouldn’t be for long if this was located in your neighbourhood. Lethccc.com has/had a plan and it was presented many times and basically ignored.
If they were truly homeless I would agree with you, but they are not.
We live next to the biggest reserve in Canada and have 3 others nearby that dumps their problems on us: the US Blackfeet, Siksika, Piikani.
We didn’t and don’t need another outside non-profit coming in, promising the moon and stars, how they will respect the community, residents and businesses, just to see it all to be a lie.
We could build 5 highrises and fill them all up with homeless/addicts and still have encampments and a full shelter. Other centers have proven this and that is why many now realize the pumping hundreds of millions into housing is not the answer. Harm reduction is a failure and not the answer.
You would see a dramatic decrease of addicts and homeless if they had to work for the food and clothing and laws were enforced. Society has allowed this to grow by not doing this and coddling and enabling them!
The Mustard Seed had zero impact with what was happened on our streets nor what continues to happen.
Do you work for the Mustard Seed? The citizens said NO and still say NO!