I delve into homelessness because of my work with a Food Bank. I find it interesting that we could make some decisions based on our community quite easily and accept them as part of wanting a collective wellbeing. I find however that the want to make such decisions is all to often impeded by an old policy or belief that somehow resists change or being changed.

Years ago many cities got rid of ‘public housing’ because the market would look after pricing. So much housing was put out of reach for people for things as simple as a lack of funds for a downpayment or poor credit. Yet those same people are given credit by a neighbourhood payday loan kiosk. Now we sit without the needed housing and we don’t appear to want to change the policy that was changed in the first place to get us here.

Once housing consumes a very large portion of income it becomes a rational decision for people to give up housing to protect their budget for food and other necessities.

SOCIAL POLICY TRENDS: EMERGENCY HOMELESS SHELTER BEDS AND THE COST OF HOUSING IN 50 CANADIAN CITIES.

I was reading the Social Policy Trends most recent article and found myself reflecting, that during COVID-19 we are still sitting on policies and practices that predate the pandemic. This means that the new lens we all so actively work towards may fall on deaf ears once the pandemic has ‘finished’.

I began thinking of why we cannot change some of the antiquated policy that is often based in early 1900 or mid-1900 life. I read an old Guardian article of actions being taken while referencing old policy.

“It’s now clear the Home Office – with the Greater London Authority, local councils and some homelessness charities – is trying to resurrect this discriminatory policy under a different guise.”

Secret plan to use charities to help deport rough sleepers.

If this pandemic has shown us anything, it is that old policy that are forgotten but upon which many of our perceptions and decisions are based must be changed. Part of what we must do is gather the courage to support the long, arduous and often boring work that is policy. We cannot have this point in time be used as a crutch to avoid soul searching for an update.

We expect our software on our electronic devices to be updated, why do we not expect (and enforce) the same of our legislation?