[homeles_ot-l] HPI-Update on federal homelessness and housing programs...FW: WI Backgrounder:

[Lynne Browne]

FYI, some HPI news from Michael Shapcott. (Note this point: Minister Finley's official explains that the "policy commitment" to the current HPS is for two years, but the funding for homelessness initiatives in general is for five - which apparently means that the federal government has reserved the option, after two years, to make changes in HPS....
Lynne 
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Sent: Wed 10/12/2008 11:25 AM
Subject: [hhno-on] WI Backgrounder: Update on federal homelessness and housing programs...


Just spoke with a senior official in the office of federal housing and homelessness minister Diane Finley and he confirmed that funding is secure - immune from the harsh political winds that are buffeting Parliament - for the federal homelessness program (Homelessness Partnering Strategy), housing repair program (Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program) and affordable housing (Affordable Housing Initiative) over the next five years. 

 

Some  background: On September 4 (the Friday before the federal election), the federal government announced that it had set aside $387.9 million per year for five years for the three programs. There was no dollar breakdown, but the homelessness program was previously funded at $135 million annually and the housing rehab program at $128 million annually, so that would leave about $125 million for new homes. Essentially, the feds have frozen the spending for these three programs at the same levels going back over the past decade.

 

The federal Conservatives, in their 2008 election manifesto, announced that the federal homelessness program would be extended for two years - which appeared to be different from the government announcement a few weeks earlier. 

 

Minister Finley's official explains that the "policy commitment" to the current HPS is for two years, but the funding for homelessness initiatives in general is for five - which apparently means that the federal government has reserved the option, after two years, to make changes in HPS.

 

Minister Finley has yet to make the formal announcement about the extension of the programs (current funding for the programs expires in March of 2009, and some programs and services are funded on a calendar-year basis, which means that they may have to start winding down by the end of the year), but the Minister's official promised that there would be "no delays" and that "everything just keeps going on".

 

The extension of the federal funding for five years is welcome news, but freezing the funds creates problems: Costs are increasing, and many more communities than the 61 that currently receive federal homelessness dollars urgently require support. So, the current level of funding is grossly inadequate for the country-wide needs. 

 

Overall, on a per capita basis, federal investments in affordable housing are at their lowest level in two decades - after a one-year spike in 2007 as the affordable housing dollars from Bill C-48 in 2005 were finally allocated.

 

There have been a number of requests for a national teleconference call to share information and identify some common strategies. I will send a separate note with some suggestions for dates and times.

 

-          Michael

 

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Michael Shapcott, Director of Community Engagement

The Wellesley Institute, 45 Charles Street East - #101

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4Y 1S2

Telephone - 416-972-1010, x231

Mobile - 416-605-8316

Facsimile - 416-921-7228

www.wellesleyinstitute.com <http://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/>