Dear editor,

This letter is in response to the article Courtney mayor discusses city鈥檚 homelessness situation, published in the Comox Valley Record on April 5.

The homeless problem in Courtney is unacceptable! I have seen people in wheelchairs living on the street, as well as some very elderly men and women. I have even seen people trying to survive with colostomy bags and catheters.

It is heartbreaking 鈥� and pathetic. There is no excuse for this.

Homelessness is ballooning as the years go by, in spite of the billions of government dollars being thrown at it.

Yes, there are mental health issues that are plaguing the homeless population, but being homeless for two months is enough to give anybody mental health issues. I believe we are actually creating a mental health crisis simply by allowing homelessness to continue to exist.

Because our local officials seem to be struggling with how to spend this $7.655 million 鈥渨indfall鈥� given to them by the provincial government, may I suggest that they simply donate it to Habitat for Humanity, which helps families secure home ownership before homelessness becomes a reality.

Or perhaps split that money between Habitat and another worthwhile local charity - the WeCan Shelter Society, which turns sea cans into homes. I understand the WeCan Shelter Society is entirely volunteer-run, and its only priority is housing the unhoused. They are building a community of sea-can homes at the Maple Pool Campground. (There are already eight such homes at the campground, with the ninth currently being built.)

We are all tired of the mounting problems with people who have no place to live 鈥� but I am sure that we are also very tired of the sweeping, general statements that people like our MLA, Ronna Rae Leonard make such as, 鈥淲e are prioritizing solutions that meet everyone鈥檚 needs.鈥� What a pile of non-committal crap!

Loraine Hartley

Comox