What are some common myths about Nanaimo’s homeless population that Nanaimo’s point-in-time homeless count and other studies have examined?
Myth 1: Nanaimo’s homeless population is from elsewhere.
Some claim our homelessness numbers are higher because our mild weather attracts people experiencing homelessness. While that may be the case for some, the vast majority are fellow citizens. During recent point-in-time surveys in Nanaimo, more than 70 per cent of people experiencing homelessness have lived in Nanaimo for more than five years. Of those who are not from Nanaimo, most are from other Island communities.
That trend makes sense: homeless people do not have the financial resources to wander far and often live close to family and friends, and government supports (meager as they often are) are more easily obtained from sources that are known to people who are homeless. The experience of the Great Depression of wandering homeless does not seem to be a factor in the 21st century.
Myth 2: People living on the streets prefer to live outside on the streets.
Another assumption is that street people prefer to live outdoors. In fact, study after study shows that those living on the street prefer to live under a roof rather than outside. In Nanaimo’s 2020 point-in-time count, 90 per cent of those interviewed wanted access to permanent housing. That percentage is common across North America. Very few choose to live in the elements.
The type of housing offered is important if people experiencing homelessness are to be successfully kept off the street. For some, emergency shelters are the first priority to just simply get off the streets at night. Such housing then permits care givers to meet with people experiencing homelessness and identify their longer-term needs. For others, who may have addiction issues or mental health issues, housing with key supports is needed to ensure they remain safe and off the streets while they are provided harm reduction, prevention and treatment. For others, who are living in tents, cars and vans or couch surfing, their housing needs require secure, safe and private accommodation that more closely replicates their current situation but also offers additional supports as needed. For homeless youths, secure, safe, and supportive transition housing is essential in smaller 10-20 unit ‘home-like’ environments.
Myth 3: People on the streets are all using drugs or have severe mental health issues.
While the many visible homeless people seem to be those who are showing the aftermath of drug use or mental health challenges, the majority are those who are experiencing other issues. For instance, Nanaimo’s 2023 point-in-time count found that 43 per cent of people living on the street are there because they don’t have enough income to afford housing, 22 per cent are on the street due to addiction, 21 per cent are there due to landlord/tenant conflict and 20 per cent are on the street due to mental health issues. A troubling trend is the steep rise in youths on the street due to conflict with parents, rising from 0.6 per cent in 2016 to 10 per cent in 2023.
A key solution to address increasing homelessness is to keep people housed in the right types of housing. While the City of Nanaimo appears committed to address those requirements, senior levels of government must to do more to keep our fellow citizens off the streets by applying ‘housing first plus.’
David Witty is senior fellow urban design in the master of community planning department at Vancouver Island University.
