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The Church & Affordable Housing Conference 2008 is scheduled for October 17 – 18, at Broadway Church
in Vancouver. Over the next several months, BCCN will feature commentaries
on what is occurring within the Christian community in the arena of serving
the vulnerable. The purpose is to build upon what is already occurring. The
first in the series is by Jonathan Bird, of Shalom Seekers.
THE 2008 Metro Vancouver homeless count discovered
1,550 people sleeping outside – a 364 percent increase since 2002.
Another 1,045 were in emergency shelters.
The ‘hidden’ homeless
For each visibly homeless person, it is estimated there
are four others who are ‘hidden’ – because they sleep in
cars, or on someone’s couch.
These numbers are growing fastest in the suburbs:
poverty in Canada is being driven to the edges of urban centres, as
market pressures eliminate low-cost rentals. Less than one percent of
apartments are available at rates people on welfare, or earning minimum
wage, can pay.
An estimated one-third of Metro Vancouver households
struggle to afford housing which is in good repair, and large enough for
their family.
Middle class earners are feeling the pinch, too.
In April, the qualifying income for an average detached
home in Metro Vancouver was $182,130 – or about 330 percent of local
median household income. Only 26 percent of households qualify to purchase
the average two bedroom condo.
Managing vs abolishing
“I can see no precedent in scripture for managing
a social evil; I see everywhere the command to abolish one.”
So spoke Philip Mangano, graduate of
Gordon-Conwell Seminary and executive director of United States Interagency
Council on Homelessness, to the 1,100 attendees at the B.C. Prayer
Breakfast in May.
In addition to humanitarian and biblical values, self
preservation may be a compelling reason for congregations to respond to the
housing need.
For example, churches in Vancouver and the North Shore
are finding it very difficult to retain young singles and couples
– who, often as not, grew up in these congregations –
because housing prices are forcing them to Delta, Surrey and farther up the
Fraser Valley.
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Many other churches throughout the region are comprised
mostly of seniors, who are, frequently, ‘land rich but cash
poor.’
As property taxes and maintenance costs rise, they are
being forced to leave their lifelong communities – because no
affordable seniors facilities exist there.
Pushed to the edge
So what is to be done to abolish homelessness, and
literally to make room in each of our communities for the young, the old
and those otherwise pushed to the edge?
According to the Regional District’s homelessness
plan, there are ‘Three Ways to Home’ which must all be present
in a broadly collaborative approach: affordable housing, adequate income
and support services.
God’s famous instructions to the Jews whom he
exiled into Babylon (Jeremiah 29) start with a command to “build
houses” – and conclude with “seek the welfare of the city
. . . for in its welfare, you will find your welfare.”
What experience, assets and unique perspective can the
Christian community bring to the broader efforts in our region, to secure
homes and well-being for all who live here?
In what ways are local congregations discovering new
life in unexpected places, as they come alongside vulnerable people and
groups assisting them?
Over the next several months, this column will begin to
answer this question.
More stories and resources will be posted at
www.shalomseekers.com.
July 2008
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