Dear Editor,
Re 鈥楥ourtenay mayor discusses the city鈥檚 homeless situation鈥�
I was disappointed that this article ( Record April 5) started with reference to a local business having its sign vandalized. I don鈥檛 know if there is proof that this or other acts were committed by homeless people but I was hoping for an article that would encourage empathy for our disadvantaged population.
Stereotyping homeless people as perpetrators of crime does not help the situation. From what I have read homeless people are much more likely to be victims of crime than perpetrators.
I work near downtown and there are frequently homeless people sheltering outside our entrance. It makes me sad. I wish I didn鈥檛 have to see it. I am sure that this is how most people react and some part of us would like to see these people 鈥榤oved on鈥� so that we didn鈥檛 have to feel bad. But you can move people on and study them to death - if they have nowhere to go it is not a solution.
I hope the $7.655 million dollars from the provincial government can be spent on affordable and supported housing rather than on more police and more studies.
I am looking forward to reading more articles in this series about homelessness. I think it is something we all need to become educated on.
Sue Bloxsome,
Courtenay
