Post on 27-Dec-2015
transcript
Evidence that Housing First is working in Toronto April 2009 Street Needs
Assessment shows a 51% decline in outdoor homelessness compared with the 2006 survey
In those service areas directly administered by the City of Toronto (street outreach and emergency shelters), 2009 survey shows a 1.7% decline since 2006
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Helping people to find and keep their homes …
More than 80% remain housed for more than 12 months
Research on the program shows that quality of life improves and use of costly emergency services decreases once housed
More than 3100 people housed since 2005
Toronto’s Housing First Approach
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Street outreach workers engage with people on the street, building relationships and assisting them through all the steps to move into housing
Follow-up supports for up to one year to help people connect to community services
Housing First approach is key to all homeless services funded by the City, including emergency shelters
Affordable Housing Ten Year Plan Council approved the Housing Opportunities Toronto
Ten Year Affordable Housing Strategy in August 2009 Key themes:
Help homeless and vulnerable peopleto find and keep homes
Assist people to afford rents Help people buy and stay in their
own homes Preserve and fix rental housing and keep
it affordable Create and renew mixed, inclusive and
sustainable neighbourhoods Create new affordable housing
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Critical success factors
Council commitment to end street homelessness
Opportunity to innovate under Federal Homelessness Partnership Initiative
Committed and innovative staff who believe in making a difference, one person at a time
Client-centred thinking; listening to clients Non-profit and private sector partnerships
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Role of the private sector Approx. 2/3 of clients are housed in
the private market
Appealed to private landlords from a business perspective
Landlords get tenants with supports and direct payment of rents
Landlords also receive follow-up support
Strong support from the business community for a social service response, rather than an enforcement response, to street homelessness and panhandling
Specialized Services Mobile Multi-Disciplinary Outreach Team (Mdot) – team of specialists (nurse, concurrent disorders therapist,
case manager, housing worker, psychiatrists) who provide outreach and assessment to individuals on the street with severe mental illness
Inter-departmental protocol to respond to encampments with a social service response prior to enforcement City-wide outreach services for Aboriginal people incorporating traditional cultural values and spirituality Post-incarceration housing services for people upon discharge or release from correctional facilities Low-barrier Rapid Access Housing to move people off the street quickly, while developing a permanent
housing plan
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Streets to Homes Assessment & Referral Centre Purpose is to help people who don’t use traditional shelter
system to come in from the street and access shelter, housing and other services
24/7 Street Respite Walk-in Housing Access with Housing counsellors on-site daily Overnight Program - 40 beds for clients engaged in a housing
plan Walk-in Referral to Shelter Dedicated Local Outreach Services – Assist local stakeholders with
issues related to homelessness and panhandling