The Filmmaker and the Advocate discuss the global pandemic and its direct and undeniable relationship to housing. Not only did the pandemic lay bare the global housing crisis, it has provided a once in a generation opportunity to solve it. Fredrik and Leilani discuss some of the creative new laws and policies being enacted by city governments to address homelessness and inadequate housing, and the stubborn refusal by governments to embark on the structural changes necessary to make sure all people have a decent home in which to stay.
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Leilani Farha, a Canadian lawyer and United Nations special rapporteur on adequate housing is a remarkable woman and makes insightful points about the global housing crises. The pandemic has become a much larger issue due to the COVID-19 pandemic (not to say it wasn’t a large issue prior to the pandemic). However, the reason it has become a larger issue is because the “solution” for the pandemic is for people to stay home. But, as Leilani states, “You can’t go home if you don’t have a home”. This has been and currently is the dilemma for up to 1.8 billion people around the world who are homeless or in informal living settlements. I believe that Leilani’s proposal that the pandemic is the force that will finally help make positive change regarding the initiative to reduce homelessness is an accurate one. We truly do see how quickly governments had to act to get people off the streets and into hotels and shelters when the pandemic hit. However, what I wonder is what is happening now? This podcast was recorded last year; I am sure Leilani would have a lot more to add. Now that the pandemic is coming to an end (sort of), are those homeless people being kicked out of the hotels now that people are travelling more? Are those moratoriums expiring on the people who can’t afford to pay their rent? What is the government doing to help now? Or was the only inspiration to help homeless people to mitigate the spread of COVID. Leilani and Fredrick mentioned how the government truly only wants to do things to better the economy; I guess they do not see it as an economical issue. It makes sense because in a mixed economy like Canada for example where we have capitalist attributes, unfortunately there must be people who are poor- that’s how the rich benefit and get richer. This is a hard truth, but it needs to change, especially since housing is a human right and Leilani seemed to not be able to stress that enough.