Appropriate housing has LONG been a basic human right as per the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights [1948], Article 25:  “(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary solution services, and has the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control…."  [Emphasis added]

Leilani Farha, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Affordable Housing commented on the importance of housing at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic:  “Housing has become the frontline defense against the coronavirus.  Home has rarely been more of a life or death situation.” [Emphasis added]  (See NOTE A.)

Key “Housing First” initiatives to eradicate homelessness are occurring in FINLAND and Medicine Hat, Alberta:

• FINLAND: Housing is a human right:  How Finland is eradicating homelessness – CBC – January 24, 2020 (LISTEN).  “In the 1980s, a Canadian psychologist [Sam Tsemberis] working in New York had an idea:  maybe the best way to solve the problem of homelessness was to give people homes…Housing First projects have appeared in municipalities across Asia, Europe and North America, including Medicine hat, Alta. Now Finland has become the first country to adopt a national housing first approach to homelessness….We have a constant policy of providing affordable, social housing. The state finances this. And in each new housing area, especially in the big cities, at least 25 per cent of housing must be affordable, social housing… Keeping people homeless, instead of providing homes for them, is always more expensive for the society. In Finland..the cost savings for the society are at least 15,000 Euros per one person per one year…” [Emphasis added]
• Medicine Hat, Alberta:  Medicine Hat said it eliminated homelessness in 2015.  Here’s how the city is working to keep it that way  – The Star Calgary – December 22, 2019.  “But now, even in Medicine Hat, which [Medicine Hat Mayor Ted Clugston] describes as ‘arguably the most conservative city in Alberta,’ getting people off the streets and straight into homes is considered a win for fiscal conservatives, too.  ‘It’s costing you in emergency room visits or interactions with first responders, police, paramedics…It costs $80,000 or maybe $100,000 to keep somebody on the street,’ Clugston says. ‘Versus in Medicine Hat you can house them for maybe $20,000 or $30,000.  There’s a cost saving to the taxpayer.’ The fears he used to have about the program haven’t been realized, and Clugston now says other cities should stop making excuses why Housing First isn’t possible.”  [Emphasis added]

In Calgary, Alberta homelessness and the lack of affordable housing remain HIGH:

• Opinion:  Affordable housing saves money and changes lives – Calgary Herald – February 8, 2020.  Bernadette Majdell, CEO of HomeSpace Society:  “…There are nearly 3,000 Calgarians without a roof over their heads…Our city is short a whopping 15,000 affordable homes…Affordable housing is not only the right thing to do, it makes economic sense – to the tune of a savings of $34,000 per person housed annually…” [NOTE: As per Foundations for Home Calgary’s Corporate Affordable Housing Strategy 2016-2025 – by The City of Calgary (including pages 4 to 6) 15,000 was the affordable housing target in 2016 (6% of households in Calgary) and is insufficient to meet growing demand.]
• Rental prices down in Calgary, but vulnerable populations still feeling the pinch – Calgary Herald – February 20, 2020.  Meaghon Reid, Executive Director of Vibrant Communities Calgary:  “We haven’t heard that six per cent [median rent decrease in Calgary since January 2019] trickling down to the people who need it most, and it’s because that average was out of reach of them anyway…”

NO EXCUSES.  Housing has LONG been a basic human right that is even more critical at this time of COVID-19 pandemic.  Affordable housing should be protected and people who are homeless should be provide with “Housing First” housing to eliminate homelessness.  Affordable housing saves taxpayers money.

THANK YOU, fellow Canadians, for signing the petition!!  It really does help.  Let’s PROTECT RENTERS:  let’s make it a WIN-WIN-WIN solution for Renters and Community as well as Landlords.  Please pass the petition on to others!

Stay safe, stay healthy!                               

Anne

We the Courageous

NOTE A:  Getting Back to Housing.  How Canadian communities are adapting Coordinated Access to accelerate connections to permanent housing and momentum to end homelessness once and for all.  COVID-19 Resource -  May 4, 2020 - Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, page 1.  See also The best protection against COVID-19 is a home – April 15, 2020 – Amanda DiFalco, Improvement Advisor, Built for Zero Canada (with Community Progress tracking). The City of Calgary is apparently currently not Community Progress tracking.