Visions Journal

Trudy Norman, PhD

Reprinted from the Out of Sight, Out of Mind: The unseen reality of hidden homelessness issue of Visions Journal, 2024, 20 (2), p. 4

People whose unhoused state is not in public view may couch surf, moving from one friend or acquaintance to the next, live in their car, in the woods, or face eviction because they rent a room in an overcrowded or unsafe house or pay too large a portion of their income on rent. Others live with untenable rules or stay in an unsafe relationship to have a roof over their head. This unseen aspect of homelessness is the focus of this Visions issue.

There is much to think about in these pages. Living in unstable conditions or places not fit for human habitation is more common than you might imagine. The stories in this issue reveal a range of life experiences, some of which may be unfamiliar to you as being ‘homeless.’ You will be encouraged to consider some of the impacts these precarious housing circumstances have on people and, rethink what stigma and discrimination can mean for other folks who experience homelessness. You will also read about efforts to address these issues in several communities around the province.

The "Looking Ahead" section introduces our next issue on recovery across the lifespan. We ask the question, what does recovery mean to you? The answer is different for each person. The issue will bring you many accounts of experience, challenge, and solutions to explore and perhaps, expand your awareness of what recovery can be.

My gratitude to all who shared their thoughts, personal story, or work herein. Your bravery, hope, and resilience in the face of odds that may have been or may still be stacked against you point the way to a more caring and inclusive society where everyone enjoys the right to a safe, adequate, affordable and secure place to call home, the basis for health and wellbeing.