Does Oliver have a problem with affordable housing and the homeless ??

I have a view – BUT your ideas may be more reliable. Some candidates in the municipal election think IT IS an issue.

Results of two day polling:

Is there a problem with homelessness in Oliver? N 52% Y 48% total participants in poll 114

Is there a lack of affordable housing in Oliver? Y 75% and N 25% total participants in poll 123

This being a two day poll – strength of voting not really there but none the less the numbers speak with more concern about affordable housing than homelessness.

Some concern about homeless people but little facts known about the problem. The definition of affordable housing always concerns me. All who own a home can afford what they have and others cannot afford to do anything other than rent. Oliver has a fair amount of social or low cost housing – but rentals only.

Most inexpensive units going on the market are not single family homes and start at $300 thousand which is not affordable to most first time buyers.

The big question is who should do something about either problem. There is an expectation that local government can perform miracles – but in my opinion Towns and Cities can only facilitate the development of privately funded enterprise through zoning and development permits.

Everyone wants someone else to do it or to solve the problems. Only when you sell your lifetime investment and put those funds into an enterprise do you realize just what  – you are asking.