Nathan Phillips Square Homeless Issue

[grey]

I'll reiterate my statement about, this summer, it really feels like there are many less homeless (visible ...) throughout the greater downtown core compared to a couple years ago. This is during the day / early evening.

I've noticed in other cities there are many more at night, but a question, where are they during the day?

They're out panhandling during the day or pursuing other activities related to addiction problems (usually crack).

In general, the ones you see at night are those who were turned away by shelters for not getting along with others (getting into fights). I believe most shelters vacate everyone during the day.

I've never seen as many in Toronto at any time as I have in some American cities, including New York and San Francisco. It's really depressing.

 

[Nads Gone Bads]

They're out panhandling during the day or pursuing other activities related to addiction problems (usually crack).

In general, the ones you see at night are those who were turned away by shelters for not getting along with others (getting into fights). I believe most shelters vacate everyone during the day.

I've never seen as many in Toronto at any time as I have in some American cities, including New York and San Francisco. It's really depressing.

The times I've visited New York I've barely noticed any homeless people. Literally less than a handful and I walked from 1st street to West 81st.

 

[taal]

The times I've visited New York I've barely noticed any homeless people. Literally less than a handful and I walked from 1st street to West 81st.

Same ! That's what I'm wondering about.

But during the night there are tons if you are in the right place, way more then you'd see here. But where do they go in the day !! Clearly somewhere where Toronto's homeless don't go.

 

[Nads Gone Bads]

Same ! That's what I'm wondering about.

But during the night there are tons if you are in the right place, way more then you'd see here. But where do they go in the day !! Clearly somewhere where Toronto's homeless don't go.

Perhaps they go looking for salamanders in Central Park?

 

[adma]

It's not new. I remember the grousing about the City Hall homeless back in...I dunno, the beginning of the Miller regime? Or Lastman, even?

 

[Nads Gone Bads]

Maybe they feel the nearby presence of Rob Ford's blubber can keep them warm throughout the night?

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

As adma says, it's nothing new. The Scotiabank cinemas (formally, Paramount) opened in the late 90's & I've noticed homeless folks sleeping around the Square since at least then when I take the shortcut through there at night.

 

[grey]

There was a perception during Miller's term that homelessness was drastically reduced (cut in half, by some estimates) thanks to the "Streets to Homes" program, which gained international recognition. OCAP claimed that this program really just made homelessness less visible. They were not very impressed, as you can see here: http://www.ocap.ca/taxonomy/term/47

Most likely, the program was being used as a pretext for cutbacks to services for the homeless. Hmmm, sound familiar?

 

[condovo]

^^ Wait. So, you're presenting info from OCAP as somehow reliable or legitimate? Wow. The crazies really are running the asylum.

 

[grey]

Whatever their concerns (I agree they're questionable), the City's own review of the program found that providing affordable housing was far more cost effective than throwing homeless people in jail, or whatever the current administration is threatening to do.

 

[condovo]

^^ Well, $14 million for 'Streets to Homes' multiplied by X-number of years (how many?) and the homeless are still in the square in droves. Doesn't seem very cost effective to me.

 

[grey]

You'd think so, but the background file explains how cost effective the program actually is compared to the alternative. In addition to permanent housing being obviously healthier in pretty much every way imaginable, they use costly emergency services less. So much less, in fact, that the savings more than offset the cost of housing and follow-up support.

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2009/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-18574.pdf

 

[Urban Shocker]

The Lawyers Feed The Hungry meal program at Osgoode Hall is also successful in drawing people in need to the Square and environs:

All meals are served in the Law Society of Upper Canada cafeteria, 130 Queen Street West, Toronto. Program times are as follows:

•Wednesday Dinner at 5 p.m.
•Thursday Breakfast (brown-bag lunch also provided) at 6:45 a.m.
•Friday Dinner at 5 p.m. (brown-bay lunch also provided)
•Sunday Breakfast (brown-bag lunch also provided) at 10 a.m.

The Lawyers Feed the Hungry Program has provided hot, healthy community meals to Toronto residents in need since 1998, a year-round meal program that is made possible thanks to generous donations to The Law Society Foundation and volunteers.

And the Church of the Holy Trinity, just across Bay Street, has operated as a community centre for many years and is open during weekdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. providing free snacks and coffee.

 

[condovo]

^^ Wonderful. How about Osgoode Hall and Holy Trinity taking it a step further and allowing the homeless to eat and sleep with them. Maybe then the square won't be used as a human dumping ground anymore.

 

[ProjectEnd]

^^ Wonderful. How about Osgoode Hall and Holy Trinity taking it a step further and allowing the homeless to eat and sleep with them. Maybe then the square won't be used as a human dumping ground anymore.

It is wonderful that there are programs such as LFH and institutions like Holy Trinity, not to mention the many unsung volunteers who operate them, to help with the problem of homelessness in our city. At the very least, recognizing their efforts and commending the positive impact they surely have would make you come off as more informed and less of a braying jackass.