Words can be misused cynically, or simply by ignorance. During a local, regional or even national housing crisis, misuse of words can lead to both public and political confusion. It may seem that progress is being made on a matter of concern, when in fact, no progress is being made at all.
One of the most important examples is the use of the word ‘affordable.’ Whether it ever had a clear meaning, it is certain that the term now means many different things to many different people. These days, citizens struggling to grasp the nature of affordability may well engage in discussion or debates without realizing how much politicians and commercial interests have bent the definition of the word to suit their particular interests.
For more on the many shades of affordability, try: Affordable Housing: What’s In A Definition?
But understanding and management of an affordable housing crisis turns on other words besides affordability. Read more about confusion between such terms as ’emergency shelters’ and ‘supportive housing’ in Nanaimo News Now: Emergency Shelters Shouldn’t Erode Community Support For Proper Supportive Housing
