Robert Bonner

Mount Pleasant

"A city is made of concrete, but it's the people who hold it together. I stress: all people."

Sister Elizabeth Kelliker

Cordova and Dunlevy

"There are so many families who are homeless. There are no social housing units with two bedrooms available and affordable for the huge number of low income families. The children suffer great damage physically, mentally and emotionally."

Joyce Rock

Downtown Eastside
"Housing is a determinant of health and a right - like air, water and personal safety. There is no 'deservedness' test which people have to pass to prove they are worthy of housing. Each person is worthy by virtue of the fact that we draw breath."

Lora Constantinescu

Commercial Drive

"In my heart, Vancouver is home. I am astonished at how expensive housing has become all over the city. We need to do something about this before many, many people become unjustly displaced. Some of us may not make a lot of money, but we contribute in invaluable ways to the uniqueness of Vancouver."

Victor Hamuse

East Vancouver
"We need better places to live."

Anonymous

East Vancouver
"I currently live in the east end in a 10'x10' box, one sink, no window and all the house "pets" one gets for $400 per month. I personally see a need the need for housing every morning I wake up!"

Steven McKeen

Drake and Granville
"Well let's see the downtown eastside has a lot of problems at the moment and the main reason id drugs, but homelessness needs to be dealt with now. If we do not get something done with this soon we are going to be regarded as a bad lace to live when in reality Vancouver is the best place on earth."

Anna Truong

South Vancouver
"Homelessness is growing! Affordable housing is scarce! More people are only one paycheque away from being homeless"

Neil Magnusow

"Housing saves lives, gives needy some dignity and a possible way out. Compassion is our duty."

"There is a need for affordable housing in Vancouver because not everyone is rich."

Michael

DTES
"I came [to Vancouver] with the hopes of something supurb. So how does a tradesman end up on the curb? You do the math!!

"More social housing so there would be no more homeless people"

L.B. CoalM

"The survey that was done for the homeless was a way out. We need affordable housing, in in the future "But right Now"

Travis Farry

Kingsway
"Just take a walk around the downtown core. Then ask yourself: is social housing necessary? I do and I think we can."

"There is not enough housing. Too many people are living in substandard conditions. We have over $200 million for a new BC place roof. Where is the money for the people's roofs?"

Ashley Harefelt

Granville Area
"We need a lot more low income and affordable housing that is in proper condition for all the homeless. Places with fridges, hot plates, laundry, shower and bathroom facilities. The government does not care enough yet."

C. Bill

"Give people homes. Give people hope"

Hal O'Hara

DTES
"What is definitely needed is affordable housing. I get $682 per month and $425 goes for rent. Therefore I eat off the streets more than what I should."

"Get rid of all the rich and mighty corporate CEO out of the DTES and start building social housing. Housing Now and Raise the Rates."

Ken LePretne

DTES
"Hotel rooms are not homes. Sharing washrooms with people you never met is unsanitary and a health issue"

Wilde R.

DTES
"We are all human - it's called Pride, as we need to live in the heritage that we ALL deserve."

Althea Thauberger

Chinatown
"Simple economics. People housed rather than on the streets creates social stability, which is much less expensive publicly than the problems homelessness creates. Vancouver real estate profits need also to be redistributed."

Am Johal

DTES/Chinatown
"We have to end homelessness and stop ticketing people under the Safe Streets Act."

Sarah Evans

DTES
"We are a beautiful, wealthy city and yet we have a homelessness population that is exploding. We need to deal with this issue now."

Brian Ruby

Streets
"I just left SK because my wife overdosed. I came here but rents are too high so now I'm homeless. With the minimum wages, how can you afford the rents?

Joseph Savoy

DTES
"It took me 1.5months to find a place and it has bed-bugs. Why should we be paying rent for those critters too! Stephen Harper should live on the streets and gain some perspective."

John Drew

DTES
"Nobody should have to sleep outside, even a dog."

Lisa Hill

Point Grey

"It is my greatest concern that the basic human right of housing is not being met for thousands of Vancouverites. If private rental stock is eliminated due to gentrification and no new social housing is built there will be no options for people, no choice"

George Swahll

"For over 25years the BC government created homelessness. Now they need to fix it."

Miloon Kothari
[United Nations Special Rapporteur on adequate housing]

As a very wealthy country, with significant surplus in federal budget, immediate attention is required for the most vulnerable part of the population living in inadequate housing and living conditions. There is no justification for not massively engaging in the improvement of the situation of all those that face inadequate housing and living conditions throughout Canada.

CAMERON GRAY

Vancouver housing centre manager Cameron Gray said the city will continue to help non-profits buy sites and build social housing on city land, because developing a long-term stock of affordable housing is the only thing he sees working in an expensive, growth city like Vancouver.

Participant
Conversation on Women's Health

"I don't know how we can start talking about our health if we don't have safe, affordable, adequate housing and we don't have enough money to buy food, to buy clothes for our children, to have a decent life here".