How does the equity issue your peer described relate to the three pillars of sustainability

One major equity issue in my community of Norwich, New York, is homelessness and the lack of affordable housing. While homelessness is often associated with big cities, it's also a growing problem in small rural areas like ours. According to The Evening Sun, Chenango County has struggled for years without a permanent shelter, relying on hotels to house people experiencing homelessness ("Norwich Grapples with How to Deal with Exploding Homelessness Crisis"). In 2024, the county finally opened a temporary "no-freeze" shelter downtown in the Buckingham Building to provide warmth and safety during the coldest months ("Norwich Emergency Homeless Shelter Opens").

The environment plays a significant role in this issue. Winters in Norwich are harsh, and people without stable housing often face dangerous conditions, including frostbite and hypothermia. When individuals live outdoors or in abandoned spaces, they are also more exposed to pollution and poor sanitation, which can harm both their health and the local environment. On the other hand, homelessness can hurt the environment through littering, waste accumulation, and damage to natural areas used for temporary camps. Promoting sustainable housingsuch as energy-efficient apartment buildings or the renovation of older homescould reduce homelessness while also supporting environmental goals.

Wealth and poverty are deeply connected to homelessness here. Chenango County's poverty rate is over 15 percent (Vera Institute of Justice), and many people live paycheck to paycheck. Programs such as the Chenango Housing Improvement Program and Norwich Housing Authority try to help, but resources are limited ("Chenango Housing Improvement Program"; "Norwich Housing Authority"). Ultimately, addressing homelessness in Norwich requires both economic and environmental solutionsaffordable housing, living-wage jobs, and sustainable community development that ensures everyone has a safe place to call home.