'Not in my backyard': How discrimination is a barrier for those experiencing homelessness

NIMBYism, or a "not in my backyard" mentality, is a discriminatory approach that has become very common with residents opposing construction projects and social service buildings to help others in their neighbourhoods. 

To understand this better, CBC's Afternoon Drive host Chris dela Torre spoke to Lady Laforet, Executive Director of The Welcome Centre Shelter for Women in Windsor, Joy Connelly, a housing consultant and advocate, and Joelle Lamport-Lewis, of United Way Perth-Huron. 

The interview has been edited for clarity and length. 

Joelle, where do you think NIMBYism comes from?

There's an unjust opposition to development projects. Whether a project is beneficial or not, communities will fear that unknown. It's usually due to a lack of trust in the process around that development, even when it has the residents' best interest in mind. Diluting of culture is another area of fear, when a community identifies with their own group; they resist the potential of change.  

Lady, when you started your shelter, you made it a point to raise awareness in your neighbourhood, what did you do?

We wanted to make sure that we switched that NIMBY and made it a "yes in my backyard." We really worked with the community to let them know what we are doing. One of the things we did was we sent out a mailout explaining who we are, what we support, what we're about, and just being as transparent as we could be.

Do you think it's been effective so far?

I think it has been. The only responses we got were positive. It was generally other social service agencies in that neighbourhood who said they were glad we were here and that they could use some help or offered to help us. We also had some community members who wanted to be involved. A lot of it has to do with trust and we are very grateful that as an agency, we spent 30 years building up trust in our community. 

Joy, what do you think of the idea of trying to build that trust with something like a mailout?

Lady's story just melts my heart because it's not always the case that the efforts she's undertaken are effective, and has often had the opposite effect. I was involved early with a group called Homecoming over 20 years ago, trying to address and bring forward some of the ideas that Joelle has about seeing this as an issue around discrimination.

Joy, part of your work with the Homecoming Coalition all those years ago involved something that is still used today, tell us about the "cringe test."

Homecoming was sparked by a horrible public meeting for a proposal for a supportive housing building. People came out and said, "we don't want you people in our neighbourhood." The executive director of the group sponsoring the building felt this was discrimination and not free speech. She brought together people with lived experience of mental illness – who this housing was for –, city planners, and human rights experts to speak about how to develop more supportive housing, without compromising the rights and dignities of the people living there. 

The cringe test is a way to test out if a statement is discriminatory or a fair comment. It would look at policy or statements, if it included the words Black, Jewish, Indigenous, gay, mentally ill, or homeless, would it make a fair minded person cringe? If it does, then it's probably discriminatory. 

Joelle, there's obviously nothing new about NIMBYism but do you think it's gotten worse during the pandemic?

Yes, the pandemic has certainly amplified our housing crisis overall, and has driven the number of individuals who are now homeless with rental rates going up, but also those who were couch surfing or hidden now have the spotlight shine on them because they can't couch surf in the times of a pandemic. This was always a problem, but now it's become directly visible.  

For someone who is prone to feeling the fear of the unknown and NIMBYism, what does it take for someone to have a change of heart?

Joelle: Knowledge. Get yourself informed. Assumptions and misunderstandings create false narratives that we start believing. What we thought we knew about homelessness a few years ago is not applicable today. Get involved, and have meaningful conversations. We want to build a welcoming community, I think everyone has that within them. I don't think anyone would dispute someone having the right to housing. 

Lady: We need to have conversations to understand each side's context and history in the neighbourhood. Hopefully, we can break down some of those prejudices and stereotypes and really piece apart what people's concerns are. Are they really articulated opposition, or is it coming from a place that's more fear based? Realistically when you let people converse, most are open to learning. Take every opportunity to build knowledge. 

Joy: Think of it as if it were you coming into a new neighbourhood. Think of it as people you know, your friend, daughter, sibling, and treat them like that.