housing is a human right — march for homes, not just promises

Today, October 10, people are taking to the streets for housing. I wish we lived in a world where we didn't have to march to remind governments that everyone deserves a safe place to call home.

I've been without a permanent home since 2019. I've couch-surfed, looked after cats, cleaned houses, and done what I can to survive. I'm still trying to get by until my pension begins in February. I know firsthand that being without a home isn't a personal failure. Sometimes, life changes in ways you never expected, and finding your way back becomes almost impossible.

We need more than temporary solutions. We need affordable housing that people can actually afford on their incomes. We need options that respect people's dignity, privacy, independence, and individual circumstances.

A shelter isn't the same as a home. A single room isn't necessarily a solution. And telling people to pull themselves up by their bootstraps doesn't help when the cost of living keeps rising and the places people once could afford are disappearing.

Housing is a basic human need. It should not be a privilege reserved for those who can afford increasingly unrealistic rents or qualify for limited programs.

Today, I stand with everyone marching for housing, everyone who has a home but fears losing it, and everyone still searching for a place to belong.

People before profits. Homes before speculation. Dignity before bureaucracy.

Because everyone deserves a roof over their head and a little peace of mind.

#HousingIsAHumanRight #HousingForAll #AffordableHousing #Homelessness #EndHomelessness #HousingCrisis #RightToHousing #Vancouver #PovertyIsNotAChoice #DignityForAll