It鈥檚 generally wiser to under-promise and over-deliver than to over-promise and run the risk of getting egg all over your face.
That advice apparently escaped the notice of federal cabinet minister Jean-Yves Duclos, when he promised last week: 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to make homelessness history in Victoria.鈥� Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps also stuck her neck out during the announcement of a $90-million partnership to build rental units that she said would effectively end chronic homelessness in the region.
While their optimism is admirable, they must be among the few who believe that the planned 2,010 new rental units over the next four years will finally solve one of the most intractable problems this city faces.
Will those units help? Certainly. The regional, provincial and federal governments have plans to include both affordable units and shelter-rate units in the projects, along with supports for those who need them.
However, it took years to get to this state, after the federal government stopped building affordable housing 20聽years ago. Many of those who are chronically homeless suffer from addictions and mental illness, compounding the challenges of poverty. Finding a solution that works for them is more than simply building an apartment and handing them the key.
The governments are taking a co-ordinated approach to housing the homeless that will make a huge difference. That鈥檚 a worthy goal, and there is no need to promise the moon.
