Stigma, Housing Homelessness

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Stigma, Housing Homelessness

• Ideology and other ideas

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Austin Smith
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Policy contexts

• Elimination of homelessness by 2012
• A recovery-focussed drug policy

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Why has Scotland such aspirational policy?

• Residual socialism?
• Lack of real control?
• A Calvinistic desire to micro-manage peoples
  private lives?

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The practice consequences of aspirational policy

• We deliver and report
• Youre not homeless unless we say you are.
• Youre so vulnerable we cannot give you
  accommodation.
• Re-analysis of problem its a housing
  problem!
• Re-analysis of solution choosing to sleep
  rough

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The public consequences of aspirational policy

• The belief that something ought to be done
• The diversion of funding
• The belief that something is being done
• Stigma
• Revanchism

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Incoherent and contradictory policy

• Building communities
• Anti-social behaviour
• Minimum housing standards
• Ending homelessness
• Service user involvement
• Local / community control

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The problem with inclusion

• Communities are the beginning and end of
  homelessness
• How can we make communities more inclusive? by
  empowering them?

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Stigma is a crucial issue when -

• There is a shortage of supply of resources
• The actively prejudiced are empowered in the
  management of resources
• The stigmatised are easily identified

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What is to be done

• Its the economy, stupid.
• The right to a private life to live
  anonymously.

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First small steps

• Training for social landlords management
  committees.
• Permanent homes for people with complex needs.
• Temporary furnished flat as a status rather than
  a premise.