I met Bob in Toronto, Canada. He panhandles to pay for a bed every night, yet the hostel kicks everyone out during the day, even during the worst weather. If Bob can raise enough money he’ll stay in a coffee shop during the cold days.
Sadly, affordable housing units in cities all over the world are being reduced as new, more modern developments come in. The hostel next to the one where Bob sleeps at night is being sold to be turned into condominiums. I heard at a homeless conference this summer that for each new unit created two affordable housing units are destroyed.
Bob went back to school and hopes to have a job working in a nonprofit bakery soon.
