Homelessness: A Strategic Solution

Paper Summary:

This paper presents a proposal for a strategic solution to the problem of homelessness in Canadian society. This strategic solution builds upon earlier positive and normative analyses of the issue of homelessness and, as such, is informed by these analyses in certain respects. The paper asserts that homelessness in Canada is primarily the result of economic factors in the housing marketplace. As such, a strategic solution to this problem would necessarily require a social-economic approach rather than an institutional/authoritarian one as has been traditionally the case. The paper relates that an ethical analysis of this problem has shown that, from the perspective of a Kantian rights model, there exists a clear and present necessity for the Canadian state to take action in this regard; action in which the rights of the homeless necessarily takes precedence over the cost of the solution. This ethical element is to be important to a strategic solution given that the most likely solution will require state intervention in the housing markets with a significant political cost to politicians. This being said, the paper argues the thesis that the scale of the homelessness problem necessitates a revision of government planning practices in the marketplace that would be so politically costly that only an assertion of the fundamental rights of the homeless to housing would be sufficient to raise political capital to deal with the problem.

From the Paper:

"Given that Toronto politicians clearly possess the authority to deal with the problem of homeless through planning but have not, a strategic solution must address the reasons for this lack of action. Some critics have argued, with reference to Toronto, that there exists a widespread view among municipal officials that Toronto planning should not support the economically marginalized who represent a financial drain on the city's resources. Other studies have noted that while affordable housing may be a politically sensitive issue, the real priority of Canadian municipalities lies in increasing their economic competitiveness and growth, even when this may be at the expense of affordable housing for their poorer citizens.
"In this analysis, we can understand the significance of the Kantian ethical argument to this strategic solution, for clearly the major obstacle to dealing with homelessness is a lack of political will. Developers are, after all, major financial contributors to municipal officials. Also, there seems to be an ideological resistance among officials, as noted by Parnaby, to employ planning tools to help marginal populations."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Caulfield, J. (1989). "Gentrification and desire." Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology, 26, n.4.
• Oberlander, H. and Arthur F. (1988). Homelessness and thehomeless: Responses and innovations - A Canadian contribution to IYSH 1987. Vancouver: Centre for Human Settlements, UBC.
• Parnaby, P. (2003). Disaster through dirty windshields: Law, order and Toronto's squeegee kids. Canadian Journal of Sociology, 28, n.3.
• Tomalty, R. and Skaburskis, A. (2003). "Development charges and city planning objectives: The Ontario disconnect." Canadian Journal of Urban Research, 12, n.1.
• Wolfe, J. (2003). A national urban policy for Canada? Prospects and challenges. Canadian Journal of Urban Research, 12, n.1.

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