The High Cost of Homelessness

Opinion
Barry Artiste, Now Public Contributor
Granted there are some who truly deserve to be housed, but in my experience in dealing with many (Drug addicted, Lazy, and Drug dealers) why should taxpayers shell out cash to those who do not deserve our pity.
Society did not put a needle in their arm, they did!  We would have less homeless if the courts imposed a Zero Tolerance on Drug Dealers and a National selection service for those who enjoy living off us, yet are able bodied.  Notice how many homeless seem to have a plentiful supply of cigarettes on hand, but no money for food or shelter?
They look young, fit and able to do work, an lets face it, there are more youth out there in DTES than anywhere else.  Let em work for a change, there are many programs for those who wish to work. Immigrants fresh off the boat find work, why not Canadians?
In ending, I have had enter more homeless shelters and crack dens that I care to remember , feces, urine,empty food wrappers, grafitti etc. What landlord in his right mind would welcome anyone who does this to his property, a property he is forced to maintain or suffer media backlash all because the homeless trash time and time again and do not appreciate a roof over their heads, knowing the Public purse will care for them. Mark my words, you build more shelters and housing for those who do not deserve it, and they will come.  They will come from all of North America for a Free Ride  in the Land of Warm BC.  
The high cost of homelessness
Every homeless person costs system $55,000, an amount that could buy supported housing for each of them

Lori Culbert, files from Randy Shore, Vancouver SunPublished: Friday, March 21, 2008

VANCOUVER - We've been counting them and governments have been scrambling to try to help them, but a recent university study has been looking at a new question about homeless people in B.C. - what each one costs taxpayers a year.

The answer is $55,000 per person, or an annual total of $644.3 million in health, corrections and social services spending for all the homeless in B.C.

But the conclusion of the 150-page report - written by five academics at Simon Fraser University, the University of B.C. and the University of Calgary - is that B.C. taxpayers could even save money if that cash was instead spent directly on supported social housing.