A roof is not enough: Unstable housing, vulnerability to HIV infection and the plight of the SRO

摘要

For an estimated 100 million people around the world who are homeless, the security, warmth and protection a home provides remains elusive. Yet if we include persons who are “marginally housed” with housing that is temporary, insecure or of poor quality, the world's homeless population approaches 1.1 billion (United Nations, 2005). Even in Vancouver, Canada, which is arguably one of the world's most beautiful cities, there are over 6000 single-room occupancy hotel rooms (SROs). Over 80% of these SROs are located in the Downtown Eastside, which is one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Canada. Many of these SROs are cramped, century-old unsanitary rooms of approximately 100 ft2. Most share access to running water and toilets, with or without cooking facilities. Some SROs operate as de facto shooting galleries, exacerbated by internal rules like “exit fees” that discourage injection drug users from availing themselves of the nearby needle exchange van or safe injection site.