Seattle Homelessness

PJ_Soul said:

Meltdown99 said:

Something needs to be done about the lack of affordable housing almost every where...And of course some cities are really bad ... Van, SF are 2 that come to mind.

Yeah, that is true, and I guarantee you that the affordability crises in those cities has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with asylum seekers, unless you consider the fact that it makes the lives of the asylum seekers harder too, just like it does for everyone else. An affordability crisis in any given large city really isn't going to be significantly impacted by a few thousand people in desperate need of help - certainly not to the extent that one should be using it as an excuse not to help them.

PJ_Soul said:

Meltdown99 said:

PJ_Soul said:

Meltdown99 said:

Something needs to be done about the lack of affordable housing almost every where...And of course some cities are really bad ... Van, SF are 2 that come to mind.

Yeah, that is true, and I guarantee you that the affordability crises in those cities has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with asylum seekers, unless you consider the fact that it makes the lives of the asylum seekers harder too, just like it does for everyone else. An affordability crisis in any given large city really isn't going to be significantly impacted by a few thousand people in desperate need of help - certainly not to the extent that one should be using it as an excuse not to help them.

It's make their life harder to.  My point being, we do not have enough housing.  The federal government needs to work with the provincial government and municipalities to try to address this.  I am not saying asylum seekers are a problem, I'm saying having to many people needing housing with a shortage of housing is contributing to the problem...and I really do not know how the problem can be fixed...

I'd rather the government discuss these issue with builders to see what can done as well.

I live in area where home ownership is still possible, but is quickly getting out of reach, but because home ownership was affordable for just about anyone with a job and a savings plan, apartments have not been constructed much around here ...

I have ideas but thats all.

You seem to think that an affordability crisis is all about supply. That is not the case IMO. While supply can be one factor, speculation and foreign investment are usually the main culprits when housing affordability goes out of control.
But in any case, I think an empathetic person would be focusing on figuring out how to find housing somewhere for these poor people (and for anyone who needs housing), whatever the affordability or supply issue is, not arguing that they need to go the fuck away or the government somehow has to get rid of them. There is indeed room for them, and there are indeed ways to help them without harming others.

PJ_Soul said:

Meltdown99 said:

PJ_Soul said:

Meltdown99 said:

PJ_Soul said:

Meltdown99 said:

Something needs to be done about the lack of affordable housing almost every where...And of course some cities are really bad ... Van, SF are 2 that come to mind.

Yeah, that is true, and I guarantee you that the affordability crises in those cities has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with asylum seekers, unless you consider the fact that it makes the lives of the asylum seekers harder too, just like it does for everyone else. An affordability crisis in any given large city really isn't going to be significantly impacted by a few thousand people in desperate need of help - certainly not to the extent that one should be using it as an excuse not to help them.

It's make their life harder to.  My point being, we do not have enough housing.  The federal government needs to work with the provincial government and municipalities to try to address this.  I am not saying asylum seekers are a problem, I'm saying having to many people needing housing with a shortage of housing is contributing to the problem...and I really do not know how the problem can be fixed...

I'd rather the government discuss these issue with builders to see what can done as well.

I live in area where home ownership is still possible, but is quickly getting out of reach, but because home ownership was affordable for just about anyone with a job and a savings plan, apartments have not been constructed much around here ...

I have ideas but thats all.

You seem to think that an affordability crisis is all about supply. That is not the case IMO. While supply can be one factor, speculation and foreign investment are usually the main culprits when housing affordability goes out of control.
But in any case, I think an empathetic person would be focusing on figuring out how to find housing somewhere for these poor people (and for anyone who needs housing), whatever the affordability or supply issue is, not arguing that they need to go the fuck away or the government somehow has to get rid of them. There is indeed room for them, and there are indeed ways to help them without harming others.

Remember we are in very different areas of the countries.  As a homeowner, I'd love for my real estate to shoot up like TO or Van.  Where I live it's about availability and affordable accommodations...I need not worry to much about speculators.  Properties where I live are not sitting vacant and if they are, not for long...

Really, you'd love for your real estate to shoot up like TO or Van to the detriment of all non-homeowners and the entire city???
FYI, the majority of home owners in Vancouver want prices to drop as well (excluding these creepy speculators, obviously). We're at the point where business owners can't find employees because nobody earning lower wages can afford to live here. Literally, some restaurants and stores are being forced to close down some days of the week because they can't staff the place. And other businesses are simply closing because they can no longer afford the leases or the rent. And there is just the fact that a lot of home owners now have children who can't properly support themselves because of the housing affordability problem, and no parents wants that. Surely you wouldn't hope for such things just because you'd be making a profit for yourself without doing any work??

cp3iverson said:

I usually dont chime in but who wouldnt want the value of their home to shoot up? There’s nothing insensitive or selfish with wanting that.  These are your belongings and investments.  I certainly wouldnt want to be upside down or stagnant on the value.  

my2hands said:

Last time real estate markets overheated and prices became overpriced everything went well lol

PJ_Soul said:

cp3iverson said:

I usually dont chime in but who wouldnt want the value of their home to shoot up? There’s nothing insensitive or selfish with wanting that.  These are your belongings and investments.  I certainly wouldnt want to be upside down or stagnant on the value.  

Did you folks totally ignore my last post about it? As I said, lots and lots of people no longer want that here. It's causing way too many other big huge problems that are bad for everyone, including their own children. Yes, many people actually are not that selfish. Housing cannot work in a market where it is purely being treated as a financial investment. Cities cannot thrive like that. It harms businesses and society, it fucks with the price of everything else, etc. Yes indeed, those who would like to profit from this kind of extreme situation without giving a shit about the dire consequences are just being selfish fucks. That's really sad that some are so comfortable with that. I guess those are the folks who think money is the most important thing in the world, even more important than their children's futures. I'm not talking about a normal housing market - of course where there isn't a literal crisis, appreciation is desirable for any homeowner. But not in the case of an insane bubble like this.

PJ_Soul said:

Meltdown99 said:

PJ_Soul said:

cp3iverson said:

I usually dont chime in but who wouldnt want the value of their home to shoot up? There’s nothing insensitive or selfish with wanting that.  These are your belongings and investments.  I certainly wouldnt want to be upside down or stagnant on the value.  

Did you folks totally ignore my last post about it? As I said, lots and lots of people no longer want that here. It's causing way too many other big huge problems that are bad for everyone, including their own children. Yes, many people actually are not that selfish. Housing cannot work in a market where it is purely being treated as a financial investment. Cities cannot thrive like that. It harms businesses and society, it fucks with the price of everything else, etc. Yes indeed, those who would like to profit from this kind of extreme situation without giving a shit about the dire consequences are just being selfish fucks. That's really sad that some are so comfortable with that. I guess those are the folks who think money is the most important thing in the world, even more important than their children's futures. I'm not talking about a normal housing market - of course where there isn't a literal crisis, appreciation is desirable for any homeowner. But not in the case of an insane bubble like this.

If people who own homes in Vancouver feel home prices are to high, then when they list they are free to sell at a discount...are they not?  People who view their home as an investment and tool to improve their lot in life are not selfish ... thats ridiculous.

Yeah, when the problems stemming from all this are this damaging to people, yes, it's selfish as fuck, but no, I don't mean people who have been in their home for a long time and just want to sell in a hot market (christ, I thought that would be a given - I guess you people think I'm pretty fucking stupid). I'm talking about speculators, who buy high and sell higher (or just let the home sit empty as it appreciates) - who literally treat the entire transaction as an investment. Again, I'm not talking about a normal housing market. I'm talking about a specific and extreme situation. One that is leading to what Amnesty International is now calling economic apartheid. Well, the BC government is finally attempting to curb this shit with speculation taxes and higher foreign buyer taxes and empty home taxes and harsher regulations and penalties for all the corrupt real estate agents, but it's not doing enough. Normally these measures have created only a temporary dip in the market rather than any meaningful permanent correction.

tempo_n_groove said:

This all sounds reminiscent of most of Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs and San Fran.

oftenreading said:

PJ_Soul said:

tempo_n_groove said:

This all sounds reminiscent of most of Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs and San Fran.

Yup, almost exactly, but not quite. Salaries are more in line with housing costs in NYC and San Fran. That's why cost of living statistics are still better in those cities than in Vancouver, so my city wears the very shameful crown for being the least affordable city in North America (and 3rd least affordable city in the world, apparently).

MVGA