Vancouver Planning Olympic Homeless Evictions

categories: criminalization, Government, Hiding the Homeless, Local Policy, News

Published October 16, 2009 @ 05:32AM PT

Yesterday, the city of Vancouver announced that they will begin ridding the streets of homeless individuals to prepare for the 2010 Winter Olympics starting in February 2010. Despite repeated assurances that these individuals will be connected with services, something about this announcement doesn't jive. Maybe if our cities tackled the issue of homelessness with the same fervor as perparations for the Winter Olympics, there would be no homeless people on the streets in the first place.

It's an sad but common activity during high-profile events: city officials use law enforcement to remove homeless people from the streets or arrest them. Usually, they say these cruel tactics are necessary for security reasons. But with the eyes of the nation and/or the world descending on a city like Vancouver, many advocates - this one included - are suspicious of a city's ulterior motives. Could this just be an attempt to put Vancouver's best face, and streetscape, forward?

Clearly, the backlash over these types of evictions have Vancouver city officials on PR high-alert. Vancouver city manager Penny Ballum said all of the right things during yesterday's press conference. According to the Hook, she "gave repeated assurances that any dislocated people would be connected with a wide range of support services and shelter." She even mentioned Vancouver's extensive outreach network that helps people on the streets find housing. Now there's a step in the right directions. But why are they stopping there?

Vancouver is four months out from eviction date. Four months! Why not focus on rehousing these individuals during this time, removing them from the streets permanently instead of simply relocating them. Forget being a good host for the world over the course of two weeks. Try focusing on being a good home for your residents the other 50 weeks of the year.

Image: Shuggy.

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Comments (5)

The same thing happened when Atlanta had the Olympics. A lot of their homeless ended up here in Nashville.

Posted by Kevin Barbieux on 10/16/2009 @ 06:29AM PT
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Thastwhy lets make a sign and boycott the 2010 Winter Olympics. Please sign the Petition.

Thank you








        or, Create a Petition



      Change.org


Posted by Christiane Henker on 10/16/2009 @ 09:35AM PT
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here is the Link for the Petition

http://homelessness.change.org/actions/view/no_2010_olympics_on_stolen_native_land_2

Posted by Christiane Henker on 10/16/2009 @ 09:37AM PT
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Doesn't it get VERY COLD in Vancouver in Janurary & Februrary in Canada??

SHAME ON CANADA!!! I have NO plans on attending the Winter Olympics but I will exercise my right to TURN THE CHANNEL and I will NOT support the Olympics until humane changes occur by the host cities/countries.

Posted by leatrice brantley on 10/19/2009 @ 05:37AM PT
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The Olympics are self destructive. With the threat of global warming we cannot afford such flagrant displays of excess and overconsumption. The best way to avoid 300,000 tons of emissions is for people to simply stay at home.

http://selfdestructivebastards.blogspot.com/2009/10/olympics-are-self-destructive.html

Posted by Canada Guy on 10/21/2009 @ 07:35AM PT
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Author

Shannon has worked in homeless shelters and service organizations in San Francisco, the Triangle region of North Carolina, and currently in the greater Boston area. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.