The concept of a home for a displaced person may vary. For some, it is not about “owning” a place of having a roof over their heads for the night. Instead, it is about having a place where they feel safe, in control and surrounded by people they get along with.
Homelessness is a complex issue without a quick fix or a one-size-fits-all solution – some had family or co-tenant problems, while others have some form of mental or physical disability. On the national front, the authorities and stakeholders have started to provide solutions to this problem by providing more aid and pass suitable housing policies.
While the number of displaced families needing help has dropped, the number of homeless individuals who have moved into shelters and welfare homes remained at the same level for the past four years. 176 homeless individuals were admitted into these places in 2016.
The problem cannot be resolved by providing more shelter beds. Rather, we can all do our part to be an accepting community that does not see homelessness as a sign of weakness or personal choice.
Read more here.
Source: The Straits Times, 8 February 2017