Recognizing housing as a fundamental human right could be viewed as a dangerous proposition for many who treat housing as a business. It opens the door for lawsuits against both businesses and governments who fail to take the issue seriously.
The United States is certainly not the only country that has a serious homelessness problem. Our neighbor to the north, Canada, also struggles with an inadequate supply of affordable housing, and one of its results too often is people living on the streets. This is small excerpt from a recent article in the Huffpost British Columbia; the full artical can be found at the link below.
“It was supposed to be a two week visit, but it turned into seven years.”
Joseph came to Vancouver seven years ago to visit his mother. Family ties persisted, and he decided not to return to northern B.C. — instead, he wanted to build a life in Vancouver, where he believed work opportunities would help him get ahead. The passionate artist and handyman found a job and rented an apartment. But the excitement did not last long.
“You can’t work minimum wage and pay $1200 in rent,” he notes, shaking his head at the problems facing many of Vancouver’s working poor. With challenges from his mother’s alcoholism and the discouragement of barely making ends meet, holding a steady job became difficult. Eventually Joseph found himself living on the street without any support…
Source: Housing Must Be Seen As A Basic Human Right | Zarah Tinholt
