Quote:
Originally Posted by someone123
The DTES is a magnet for people with addiction and mental health problems,
|
In terms of the Halifax region though (and probably the Maritimes as a whole to some degree) Gottingen is exactly that. That's not its most obvious defining feature, but I would be very surprised if addiction or mental health problems are more prevalent in any other part of HRM. One of the root causes of this (or maybe even the singular root cause)
is the legacy of poorly thought out urban renewal projects, which put the street at a sudden commercial disadvantage, by, among other things, levelling half the buildings in the neighbourhood to create parking lots. The concentration of homeless shelters and related services, plus the relative ease of finding and using hard drugs (or, from a dealer's perspective, the relative ease of finding customers) is what makes the area a magnet for the poor, homeless, addicted, mentally ill, and criminal. As local agencies adapt to these realities and things like the needle exchange and the methadone clinic emerge, the "magnetism" is further reinforced. I would imagine that the "general mood" of living in a place like Uniacke Square also contributes significantly to rates of addiction, mental illness and crime. I guess what I meant is that the area serves many of the same purposes as the DTES.
(How) does Vancouver address public/affordable housing?
I suppose I should add the (hopefully obvious) disclaimer that I'm not saying that everyone in that part of the city is poor, homeless, addicted, mentally ill, or criminal, far from it. Just, some are. And more than in other places.