CHARLOTTESVILLE (WINA) – As area residents and governments take on affordable housing, the group Livable Cville until the the end of the month is distributing a book called “Homelessness Is A Housing Problem”. The group’s Matt Gilliken says this book from University of Washington researchers who demonstrate homelessness is a structural issue is going to each City Councilor, Board of Supervisors member, and Planning Commission member.

He says high rents in a limited housing market contribute to high homelessness in New York, San Francisco, and LA. Gilliken notes even though Charlottesville is much smaller, we have the same dynamic here that limits the amount of housing. Gilliken says there’s a stigma that homeless are people who can’t manage their money, or suffer substance abuse issues. He says while that may be the case in some individual situations, it is not the pre-eminent issue in the problem.

Gilliken says this book leads into a March 1 webinar with the book co-author Gregg Colburn, with a Q&A with Haven executive director Anna Mendez outlining the local issue. Click here for the webinar information.