Ending Homelessness in Victoria

by Chris Johnson
As a stand-alone document, the Mayor’s Task Force Report contained some challenging objectives for dealing with homelessness. As a blueprint for ending homelessness in ten years, it was woefully inadequate, to put it politely.
What’s missing from the Coalition’s efforts is a clear plan outlining it’s objectives, such as Calgary and Edmonton have.
The [...]

Tent city in Puyallup idea dies in council

by MELISSA SANTOS; The News Tribune
Puyallup won’t host a tent city for homeless individuals in the immediate future, city officials have decided.
After a lengthy public hearing on the proposal Tuesday night, the City Council held off on approving an ordinance that would have allowed a 40-person encampment somewhere in the city.

Media Analysis of Homeless Encampment “Sweeps”

(The following is a short excerpt from an excellent report that just came my way.
Check it out at http://faculty.washington.edu/stygall/homelessmediacoveragegroup
Seeing the Homeless
by George Dillion, English Professor, University of Washington
If an individual or organization decides to portray homelessness as urban blight and contagion—as the dump come to your door—a common tactic is to shoot garbage-scapes with a [...]

Several arrested as police clear out Nickelsville

By Lindsay Cohen & KOMO Staff
SEATTLE — About a dozen people were arrested Wednesday afternoon for refusing to leave the Nickelsville homeless encampment at a park in West Seattle.
The homeless residents set up camp at Terminal 107 Park on West Marginal Way in July, despite warnings that they would not be allowed to stay.
Officials [...]

South Africa’s Poor Targeted by Evictions, Attacks in Advance of 2010 World Cup

Thousands of South Africans are being displaced in preparation for the 2010 World Cup. While Durban completes the finishing touches on its new stadium, thousands of the city’s poor who live in sprawling informal settlements are threatened with eviction. On Saturday, an armed gang of some forty men attacked an informal settlement on Durban’s Kennedy [...]

Homeless camp outside Seattle councilman’s home

(AP)
Some people camped out overnight outside the home of Seattle City Councilman Tim Burgess, in the Queen Anne neighborhood.
The Tuesday night campers are members of the group SHARE who also camped out Monday night outside Mayor Greg Nickels’ home, demanding more free bus fares from the city.
A homeless camp on Port of Seattle property is [...]

Homeless Attempt to Camp on Seattle Mayor’s Lawn, thwarted by Shrubbery

By kery murakami, Seattle PostGlobe
About 40 protesters appeared to have bedded down for the night on the quiet West Seattle street where Mayor Greg Nickels lives.
Earlier in the evening, at about 8:30 p.m, the homeless men and women — protesting the city’s denial of funding for bus vouchers — had walked through the neighborhood in [...]

Nickelsville residents vow to stay at Port of Seattle park

by kery murakami , Seattle Post Globe,
As another group of homeless prepared to sleep in front of Seattle City Councilman Tim Burgess’ home Tuesday night, the residents of the Nickelsvile homeless encampment vowed to stay at a Port of Seattle park despite a deadline to leave on Wednesday.
Nickelsville spokesman Revel Smith said in a press [...]

Analysis: No need for a law to pick up the homeless in the cold

By Miro Cernetig, Vancouver Sun
The poor, as the Bible informs in one of its less optimistic asides, will always be with us. So, too, are society’s schemes to try to get the unfortunate to improve their lot in life.
The latest in tough love comes from the provincial government, which is now writing a law to [...]

Weather trumps homeless rights: Attorney-General

by Justine Hunter, Globe and Mail
The right to sleep in the street ends in extreme weather, maintains B.C.’s top law official.
Attorney-General Mike de Jong told reporters yesterday he is satisfied the province can draft a law that would allow police to compel people living on the street to go to homeless shelters if winter weather [...]