The following article can change without notice as I gather more information regarding homelessness prevention. I am using this forum to document my research in my quest to find a solution to the problem that is presenting.
Why is there a housing crises across the country? Why are there people on the street without viable housing? Shelter, food, and water are essentials for wellbeing so why are people in need are not providing enough money to pay for rent or not provided with the means to get a home?
I have discovered, there are huge amounts of money being budgeted for housing and services but because of in adequate legislation this money is not actually going to support people to acquire and sustain shelter. The policies and procedures created by the people in government positions are creating homelessness.
It was shocking to me when I found out that people on disability not provided adequate funding to secure a home in the private secure when the B.C. When I found B.C. Housing the agent said that they only support men and women with children to secure shelter. I was told to call Penticton Brain Injury Society and they only provide temporary funding if they know that the client can secure permanent funding through the income assistant program. Why has the income assistant program been set up in such a way to deny people enough money to pay for rent?
There are pet friendly apartments available for rent so why does the Social Development Disability Administration not have the legislation in place that will assure the people on disability have adequate funding?
The following is from the B.C. Housing application form:
“Additional Information:
Most supportive housing units are studios suitable for a single individual. Very few buildings have units with one or more bedrooms.
If you wish to live with or near another individual, you both must:
complete a Supportive Housing Registry Application Form; and
sign a SHR Request to Link form. The SHR Request to Link form can be
obtained by contacting our office or downloaded from our website at
http://www.bchousing.org/SH”
I asked Bing AI, “What is being done to prevent homelessness at British Columbia?”
The Province of British Columbia is actively addressing homelessness through its **Belonging in B.C.** plan. This collaborative initiative aims to prevent and reduce homelessness by providing immediate actions backed by significant funding. In **Budget 2022**, they allocated $633 million over three years, and in **Budget 2023**, they committed $1.5 billion to help thousands of people maintain and access housing and support services¹. Additionally, the **Homeless Prevention Program** offers portable rent supplements and support services to individuals at risk of homelessness, helping them access rental housing in the private market⁴. These efforts strive to make homelessness rare, brief, and a one-time occurrence in the province¹.
Source: Conversation with Copilot, 2024-07-10
(1) Homelessness – Province of British Columbia. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/affordable-and-social-housing/homelessness.
(2) Homeless Prevention Program | BC Housing. https://www.bchousing.org/housing-assistance/homelessness-services/homeless-prevention-program.
(3) Homelessness – Province of British Columbia. https://bing.com/search?q=homelessness+prevention+British+Columbia.
(4) New data will guide response to homelessness in B.C.. https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2022AG0035-000364.
I asked Bing AI how many people living at British Columbia;
As of 2024, British Columbia has an estimated population of over **5.6 million**, making it Canada’s third-most populous province¹. The capital is Victoria, while Vancouver serves as the largest city, with its suburbs forming the third-largest metropolitan area in Canada¹². 
Source: Conversation with Copilot, 2024-07-10
(1) British Columbia / Population. https://bing.com/search?q=population+British+Columbia.
(2) British Columbia – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia.
(3) British Columbia Population 2024 – World Population Review. https://worldpopulationreview.com/canadian-provinces/british-columbia-population.
(4) Demographics of British Columbia – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_British_Columbia.
To learn more about affordable housing initiatives in British Columbia, you can explore the following resources:
1. **BC Housing**:
– BC Housing is a Crown Corporation that supports social housing, affordable housing, emergency shelters, and outreach for homeless individuals. They also administer rent supplements and regulate residential construction. You can find more information on their website¹.
– For specific inquiries, you can contact BC Housing at:
– Email: [PLUM@gov.bc.ca](mailto:PLUM@gov.bc.ca)
– Phone: (250) 387-3394
2. **Local Government Housing Initiatives**:
– If you have questions related to local government housing initiatives, you can reach out to the Ministry of Housing:
– Email: [PLUM@gov.bc.ca](mailto:PLUM@gov.bc.ca)
– Phone: Victoria Office: 250-387-3394 | Toll-Free: 1-800-663-7867³
Additionally, BC Housing provides a comprehensive 30-point affordable housing plan called “Homes for B.C.” You can explore this plan and view a map of provincially funded housing projects on their website⁴. Remember, ensuring access to affordable housing is crucial, and I appreciate your commitment to addressing this important issue! 🏠❤️
: [Affordable Housing – Province of British Columbia](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/affordable-and-social-housing/afffordable-housing)
: [Local Government Housing Initiatives](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/local-governments-and-housing/housing-initiatives)
: [Homes for B.C.](https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC)
: [Single window for provincial housing permitting and authorizations](https://permitconnectbc.gov.bc.ca/)
Source: Conversation with Copilot, 2024-07-10
(1) Affordable housing – Province of British Columbia. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/affordable-and-social-housing/afffordable-housing.
(2) Local government housing initiatives – Province of British Columbia. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/local-governments-and-housing/housing-initiatives.
(3) BC Government Announcement: New action plan delivers more … – BC Housing. https://news.bchousing.org/bc-government-announcement-new-action-plan-delivers-more-homes-for-people-faster/.
(4) Capacity Funding for Local Government Housing Initiatives. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/housing-and-tenancy/tools-for-government/local-governments-and-housing/lghi_capacity-funding-scope-guidelines.pdf.
(5) Affordable and social housing – Province of British Columbia. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/affordable-and-social-housing.
(6) undefined. https://www.bchousing.org/homes-for-BC.
(7) undefined. https://permitconnectbc.gov.bc.ca/.
BelongingStrategy.pdf (gov.bc.ca)
The Social Development department at the City of Penticton oversees the homelessness prevention program. They work with federal and provincial partners to achieve housing and homelessness goals in the community1.
If you need further assistance, feel free to reach out to them at Phone: 250-490-2512 or via email at socialdevelopment@penticton.ca. 😊
______________________________________________________
The Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction for the province of British Columbia is **Honourable Sheila Malcolmson**. You can reach her office through the following contact details:
– **Email**: [Email the minister](mailto:Sheila.Malcolmson.MLA@leg.bc.ca)
– **Phone**: 250-356-7750
– **Fax**: 250-356-7292
For general inquiries related to the ministry, you can call **1-866-866-0800** or use the **Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD)** at **711**. If you’re calling from outside British Columbia, the toll-free number is **1-800-661-8773**¹. Additionally, the Deputy Minister’s office can be reached at **250-387-2325**¹. 🌟
Source: Conversation with Copilot, 2024-07-15
(1) Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction contacts. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/organizational-structure/ministries-organizations/ministries/social-development-poverty-reduction/ministry-contacts.
(2) Ministry Contacts – Province of British Columbia. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/organizational-structure/ministries-organizations/ministries/housing/ministry-contacts.
(3) Executive Council and Parliamentary Secretaries of B.C.. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/organizational-structure/cabinet/cabinet-ministers.
____________________________________________________
The current Minister of Housing for British Columbia is **Honourable Ravi Kahlon**. He oversees the province’s housing policies, programs, and services to ensure access to affordable, safe, and appropriate housing². If you have any more questions, feel free to ask! 😊
Source: Conversation with Copilot, 2024-07-15
(1) Premier appoints Ravi Kahlon as minister of housing and house leader …. https://biv.com/news/economy-law-politics/premier-appoints-ravi-kahlon-minister-housing-and-house-leader-8269822.
(2) Ministry of Housing – Province of British Columbia. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/organizational-structure/ministries-organizations/ministries/housing.
(3) B.C. to create 1st minister to focus solely on housing crisis, says …. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/housing-minister-announcement-1.6660582.
(4) January 15, 2024 – Home – Province of British Columbia. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/government/ministries-organizations/premier-cabinet-mlas/minister-letter/hous_-_kahlon.pdf
_________________________________________________________________________
“Parliament’s 105 senators shape Canada’s future. Senators scrutinize legislation, suggest improvements and fix mistakes. When the Senate speaks, the House of Commons listens — a bill must pass the Senate before it can become law.” Source: https://sencanada.ca/en/about/
I have made phone calls to the advocates at Service BC, BC Housing, the Brain Injury Society, the South Okanagan Women In Needs Society, Dan Ashtons (MLA) and spoke to the secretary, the Penticton and District Society for Community Living (PDSCL), and the Social Development Department for the City of Penticton (please see the enclosed email below). The advocate at PDSCL said that their low income housing does not allow for pets and there are no one bedroom homes for rent.
Everyone I have talked to knows the systemic problem and said that the problem has been known for years and no one is addressing the core issue of making sure the people are receiving the funding to secure shelter. The people in a fiduciary and trustee position of the public trust have failed to provide a secure abuse free environment for people that are on disability. This problem is putting innocent people into precarious situations because of legislation and inadequate policy and procedures at the agency and non-profit businesses receiving funding.
Certainly! In legal terms, a **relator** is a party other than the plaintiff upon whose information, knowledge, or relation of facts an action is brought when the right to bring the action is vested in another¹. Essentially, the relator initiates legal proceedings on behalf of someone else. For example, a private person who brings a qui tam action or a party who has standing and seeks a writ (such as mandamus) on behalf of the state would be considered a relator. The term “relator” comes from Latin, meaning “narrator” or “informant” ³. If you have any more legal questions, feel free to ask! 😊
Source: Conversation with Copilot, 2024-07-16
(1) Relator Definition & Meaning | Merriam-Webster Legal. https://www.merriam-webster.com/legal/relator.
(2) Relator (law) – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relator_%28law%29.
(3) Relator legal definition of relator – TheFreeDictionary.com Legal …. https://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/relator.
If you can help me sort out this problem please email me at awakenednewworldrs@gmail.com and put Homelessness in the subject line.
Freedom Dove 
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