Tent cities and other communities of homeless people are springing up across Hamilton. This comes at a time when rents are skyrocketing, vacancy rates are plummeting, and shelters are operating above capacity. What other options do people have? Even when shelters do have beds available, many people don’t feel comfortable staying in them. Particularly when overcrowded, shelters can be scary places. Many people have experienced trauma in the shelter system, including being robbed or assaulted in the past. Others find shelters inaccessible because they aren’t allowed to bring pets with them or because substance use is not permitted. So people choose to create their own shelters and communities as a means of survival. Source: Hamiltontenants | Blog
