By Tan Mei Xi

For many, the joint announcement made by the City and Province last week of 450 new homes for the unhoused population seemed like good news. For tent city advocate and sociology instructor Nicole Luongo, the announcement filled her with "dread".

"We have seen this happen multiple times over the years... that new supporting housing gets announced... for many people they feel unlivable for a variety of reasons," said Luongo. Members of the general public assume that supportive housing is a solution for unhoused residents, she said, "and when invariably it doesn't work for some people... that gives the general public more ammunition, if you will, to point the finger at unhoused people."

Luongo noted that to apply for supportive housing operated by BC Housing, applicants are required to meet requirements for competencies such as "communication skills". While such a requirement might sound benign, Luongo told the PULSE that a social worker with a master's degree may have very different ideas from, for example, a former sex worker, of good communication skills.