Welcome.

Thank you for taking part in this conversation on home and homelessness in Richmond.

This conversation started in 2022 when the City of Richmond hosted a series of in-person community discussions on the circumstance of homelessness in Richmond. It continued in the winter of 2022/2023 with more people adding their voices.

This self-guided conversation is an opportunity for you to:

Think deeply about the kind of community you want to live in and how you might help create that kind of community.

Your participation today ensures that this critical conversation keeps on going, as we all work together to create the kind of community we want to live in.

In this self-guided conversation, you will:

You can work at your own pace, in your own time, from your own space. You will see and hear the experiences and perspectives of others and you will be encouraged to think deeply about your own experiences and perspectives.

When you see this symbol, please take time to pause, reflect, and jot down your thoughts.

LET’S GET STARTED

We would like you to meet four Richmond residents who are, or who have been, struggling to find home.

They are generously and courageously sharing their knowledge and experience with us to help build understanding about what people are experiencing right now, today, in this city.

Ken, Joann, Mike, and Devon have experienced home and the loss of home.

Meet Ken

RICHMOND RESIDENT

Ken left Richmond 20 years ago and worked in Asia as a translator.

While he was there, his vision began to fail and he spent all his money trying to keep his eyesight. Ken returned to Richmond recently and stayed in an emergency shelter while he looked for a more permanent home.

Meet Joann

RICHMOND RESIDENT

Joann lives in supportive housing – which means she has her own apartment, the ability to make her own meals and access to supports and services.

Meet Mike

RICHMOND RESIDENT

Mike has been staying at the Emergency Response Shelter in Richmond.

Meet Devon

RICHMOND RESIDENT

Devon also lives in supportive housing.

Ken, Joann, Mike and Devon are experts on homelessness and we are thankful to have their voices included today.

Meet Adina

FORMER PROGRAM MANAGER AT ALDERBRIDGE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING,
RAINCITY

Meet James

FORMER STAFF AT TURNING POINT RECOVERY SOCIETY

Adina and James are service providers in Richmond who also contributed to the conversation.

COMMUNITY

What kind of community do you want to live in?

Please take time to pause, reflect, and jot down your thoughts.

We asked Richmond residents what kind of community they want to live in and we heard:

URGENCY

There are currently 170* Richmond residents living in shelters or on the streets. This doesn’t include people who are living in a car, motorhome or moving from couch to couch.

Local service providers estimate that there are at least 170 people experiencing homelessness in Richmond, as of April 2023. Metro Vancouver’s Homeless Count takes place over a 24-hour period and provides a snapshot of people experiencing homelessness.

James said it’s okay that we aren’t prepared for this. It’s a very different problem than it used to be. A lot of Richmond residents can no longer afford homes.

Ken said we now have a huge number of Richmond residents whose basic human need for shelter is not being met.

Here is what else Ken had to say:

Why now? What is the urgency for this conversation?

Here is what James and Ken said about urgency:

Have you noticed a change in what you are seeing in Richmond?

HOME AND HOMELESSNESS

Home can mean many things to different people. Take a moment to think about the thoughts and feelings that come to mind when you think about home.

What does home mean to you?

We asked Richmond residents what home means to them and we heard:

We asked Ken, Mike, Joann, and Adina what home means to them:

Let’s talk about the opposite of home. Take a moment to really think about what the word homeless brings to mind for you.

What does homeless mean to you?

Here is what we heard from Richmond residents about the word homeless:

Here is what Ken and Joann had to say about the word homeless:

STIGMA

Judging someone negatively based on their situation.

Let’s talk a little more about language and how words can impact our thoughts, our beliefs and sometimes our actions.

What do you think when you hear the phrase homeless person?

Our words affect our thinking.

The phrase ‘homeless person’ is different from the phrase ‘a person experiencing homelessness.’

People-first language focuses on the person rather than the situation the are in.

Changing our words can impact the way we think and reduce stigma.

Here is what James had to say about stigma:

Here are some of the things Richmond residents said about stigma:

Think about the kinds of things you have seen or heard on the radio, tv or social media about people experiencing homelessness.

Could stigma be a barrier to people finding home?

We asked Ken and Joann, “What do you want people to know about people who are experiencing homelessness?”

HOPE

In the context of home and homeless, what does the word hope mean to you?

Hope, like home, is now out of reach for many Richmond residents.

The barriers to finding home are complex challenges that cannot be addressed by one agency working on its own – high rents, too few affordable homes, wellness issues, stigma.

We asked Joann, Devon, Ken, and Mike what the word hope means to them.

IDEAS IN ACTION

By working together, we can create the community we all hope to live in.

What can we all do to create the kind of community we want to live in?

Here are some ideas we heard from Richmond residents:

What ideas do you have? What actions could you take to make change?

Thank you for taking part and being part of the solution.

We would like to thank Ken, Mike, Joann, and Devon for sharing their wisdom and guidance, and James and Adina for participating.

We would also like to thank the Richmond residents who took part in the in-person Community Conversations in 2022 and 2023.

Most of all, we would like to thank you for bringing an open, creative and brave mind to this challenging social issue.