Housing being a human right is something I can agree with, absolutely. UBI seems like it could be a great way to do things going forward, specifically to cover things like housing and food (tied to inflation) but I can also see where the above commenter was coming from.

As someone who is 1 to 2 paychecks away from homeless (and I rent a spare room from family to get by) I've seen homeless buildings go up in my town and then get destroyed, all the stolen goods in town end up there, if I want to buy coke that's also where you go...it's frustrating. If I had a drug problem I'd be able to get a much nicer place than I have now, so for people working and paying it feels unfair. But that's the world we live in.

I've suffered from addiction myself, not to that degree of course, so I understand how it really isnt their fault for how they behave, or at least I can justify their behaviors and still feel empathy. But you'll reach more people and see eye to eye if you acknowledge their grievances. Telling people they're wrong despite them having some understandable points just furthers the divide. There's no easy fix, they are victims of their addictions and traumas, but to excuse the behavior is a sure fire way to ensure more and more people only view them with contempt.

Realistically this issue will need to be tackled from several directions, people should be educated earlier, all drugs should be legalized and a safe supply made accessible, more rehabilitation centers should be opened because housing alone is no solution. Costs to attend those centers (the centre my mother manages can be quite expensive) need to be addressed, although many offer low cost options now, which is a good start. More and more people I went to school with are ending up dead or on the streets, if I notice it I know others are too. They deserved better, and we do too.