Systemic Issues

Systemic issues contribute to a person’s experience of homelessness. These include:

• Poverty

• Economic changes

• Affordable housing policies

• A lack of coordination between systems designed to help people experiencing homelessness

• The long-term impact of colonialism*

*Canada’s colonial policies and practices, including residential schools and the mass removal of thousands of Indigenous children from their families in The 60s Scoop, have contributed to inter-generational trauma and a loss of connection to community and culture—all of which place Indigenous people at increased risk of experiencing homelessness.

Personal Circumstances

An individual’s personal circumstances may also contribute to homelessness. These include:

• Past and current trauma

• Chronic health conditions

• Domestic violence

• Discrimination and family conflict based on a person’s sexual orientation

While personal circumstances might contribute to a person’s experience of homelessness, the truth is that homelessness is ultimately correlated with systemic issues like poverty.

You can read more about the causes of homelessness here.

Myth 1: People choose to be homeless

^^ Read the many causes of homelessness listed above.

The causes of homelessness are complex. That’s why we partner with governments and agencies to create a system of care that addresses each person’s unique needs.

Myth 2: People experiencing homelessness just need to find a job

People without homes spend most of their time and resources trying to improve their lives. That includes looking for work. But the barriers are high when you don’t have a home. Experiencing homeless makes you less competitive in the job market. It means you don’t have a permanent address to give to an employer, a place to shower, money to afford clean clothes, or access to a computer to find a job.

Even if people have part-time or full-time work, they may still be without a permanent home because of a lack of affordable housing. In Calgary, economic growth has attracted migration to the city, driving up the prices of rental accommodation and houses.

The challenge of job-hunting while experiencing homelessness is even greater for youth. Many have never had the opportunity to become self-sufficient – for example, learning to pay bills or grocery shop – and many have never had the chance to complete high school, which prevents them from gaining meaningful employment.

They may also have a deep history of adverse childhood experiences, or traumatizing events occurring before the age of 18 that lead to toxic stress. This can have a profound effect on brain development, which can create challenges in finding employment later on in life.

Myth 3: Only people who sleep rough are experiencing homelessness

Sleeping rough means living in public places like parks, or in places not intended for human habitation, like cars or tents.

The problem with this myth is that a person doesn’t have to be sleeping on the street to be experiencing homelessness. This is especially true of youth and women.

Youth and women tend to avoid the streets and shelters out of fear of violence. They are more likely to couch surf or to live temporarily with others.

Myth 4: All people experiencing homelessness are dealing with substance misuse issues

While the rate of drug and alcohol use is higher among those experiencing homelessness than the general population, research indicates that only 38% of people use alcohol, and even fewer (26%) use other types of drugs.

Substance use is only one of several factors that can put a person at risk of losing their housing. However, drugs and alcohol are never the sole cause of homelessness.

Not having a home may also contribute to a person’s use of substances. The stress of trying to survive without permanent shelter can lead people to turn to alcohol and drugs as a coping mechanism.

You can read more about the connection between homelessness and addiction here.

Men

Men make up the majority of people without a permanent home in Calgary.

A combination of systemic issues and personal circumstances contribute to men’s experiences of homelessness.. For example, a man may not have a home because there isn’t enough affordable housing and because he has a physical disability.

Men who identify as Indigenous are also at a higher risk of experiencing homelessness, because they must contend with the legacy of colonialism and the trauma associated with it.

Women

Women make up almost a third of the people experiencing homelessness in Calgary.

But we know there are more, even if they’re not counted in official surveys, because women are more likely to couch surf or to live temporarily with friends or family when they don’t have a home.

Women resort to temporary accommodation, because living on the streets or in shelters greatly increases their risk of sexual exploitation, abuse, and violence. This makes it difficult to locate women in an official count, and as a result, their experiences of homelessness often go unnoticed.

Youth

A “youth” is a person between the ages of 13 to 24 without a permanent night-time residence.

According to the research:

• Youth often experience homelessness after experiencing family conflict and violence.

• Youth who identify as LGBTQ2S+ are over-represented in the homeless population. Family conflict over their sexual orientation often means they can’t return home.

Unlike adults, youth generally need more support when experiencing homelessness, because they are still developing physically, emotionally, psychologically and socially.

Families

Families may experience homelessness because of low incomes, precarious employment, a lack of affordable housing, or because of separation or domestic violence.

“Families” includes:

• One or two parents with children;

• Adults with custody of children;

• Couples in an interdependent partnership;

• Couples where one person is pregnant, and

• Multigenerational families