The issue of homelessness isn鈥檛 just splashed across It鈥檚 a reality we are increasingly being exposed to on all fronts.

The Linear Park homeless camp has helped in that regard 鈥� bringing the homeless out of the shadows of Polson Park and into broad daylight on busy 25th Avenue.

But that is a positive thing because it鈥檚 bringing more attention to the issue.

鈥淭hey moved to a place that was a lot more public so I think it鈥檚 shocking to see what鈥檚 happening,鈥� said Annette Sharkey with the Social Planning Council. 鈥淭here鈥檚 agreement throughout the community, whether you have empathy for the homeless population or maybe anger towards the homeless population, the agreement is this isn鈥檛 OK.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a feeling now of we can鈥檛 ignore this. It鈥檚 not hidden.鈥�

So while City of Vernon camping bylaws have done nothing to decrease the number of homeless individuals, they have brought more light to the issue.

What is needed to help our fellow citizens who are cast out in the cold is supportive housing.

鈥淚f we had more supportive housing, we would be able to bring people in from the outside, give them a chance to stabilize and then be able to move on with their lives as they have more programming and supports,鈥� said Sharkey, adding that there are approximately 470 supportive housing beds in Vernon. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not actually a complicated issue. There鈥檚 very straightforward solutions but really what that calls for is funding.鈥�

Modular housing is one option, although Vernon is not currently identified as one of the communities to be included in such a program in B.C.

But that鈥檚 because Vernon isn鈥檛 the only community struggling.

鈥淭his (homelessness) is a B.C.-wide problem,鈥� said Starkey. 鈥淭hat is partly why we have to be patient with these announcements.鈥�

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