[homeles_ot-l] "little growth in safe, affordable housing stock" ATEH Letter to the Editor

[Lynne Browne]

Hello everyone,

 

Several days ago the Letter to the Editor below was sent by Marion Wright,
Alliance to End Homelessness Chair, in response to the Ottawa Citizen
editorial on Commissioner Hess's visit; they've called to verify Marion's
contact info but it has yet to appear. In the meanwhile we thought we'd
share it with you.

 

Lynne Browne

 


 


RE: 'Housing first' works, By Elizabeth Payne, The Ottawa Citizen, 


February 5, 2010 -
<http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/Housing+first+works/2520075/story.html
>
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/Housing+first+works/2520075/story.html
"It starts with the notion that having people living on streets is neither
inevitable, nor acceptable and that, despite all the good work being done to
help street people, something has to change. . . In Ottawa, the Leadership
Table on Homelessness, which, along with the United Way brought Hess to
Ottawa, has set a 10-year goal to end chronic homelessness in this city.
"Our goal is to house at least 100 people a year," said chair Janet Yale.
And, while talk about housing supports and services can sound technical and
bureaucratic, housing policy, when you see how it changes lives, is often
about life and death. . . .Those who work to end homelessness -- across
North America, including in Ottawa -- are seldom rewarded so personally. .
."


 

Alliance to End Homelessness Letter to the Editor:

 

The story of women on mattresses is not just a New York City story; Ottawa
agencies providing emergency help see women on mats daily! We too are
rewarded both personally and poignantly for our efforts when safe,
affordable housing is found.

 

'Housing First' works; we know this first hand in Ottawa. And yes indeed,
chronic homelessness is "not inevitable, nor acceptable". And yes, we
emergency service providers do good work; we base our work upon research and
direct experience here in Ottawa. But not surprisingly, if there is little
growth in safe, affordable housing stock, there are severe limits on how
many people will be able to move on and rent a home, it's as simple as that.
So, big problems, a straightforward solution, now let's see the money to put
housing in place quickly.

 

We don't need to spend money on another bureaucracy; we need funding for
more affordable housing.  As the Citizen's editorial board knows Ottawa has
a well functioning Social Housing Registry but there are 10,220 households
on the wait list. Of those, 428 households are homeless and over 500 other
households have special status for safety or medical reasons. We also have a
supportive housing network where providers have over 2,600 people on their
wait list. 

 

We have Ottawa Inner City Health providing health care in all adult
shelters, with Palliative Care in one and special care in another for
instance. For those who have severe mental health issues we have Ottawa
Branch Canadian Mental Health Association prioritizing and coordinating
intake to intensive case management services among eight agencies.  We have
a system of outreach workers collaborating to assist individuals who are
unable or frightened to come into offices. The City's Social Services
department is moving now to single point of access to their services.

 

In 2008 in Ottawa, nearly 80% of individuals who were homeless needed one
thing first and foremost, a safe home with rent they could afford, The
approximately 20% who are chronically homeless with special needs will need
a home and access to supports. It is always valuable to learn about what
works in other communities; indeed many of us travel to other cities to
share our own agencies successful approaches.  Ottawa agencies are already
collaborating with each other and avoid duplication of effort to wisely
spend the limited funds provided by governments. We don't need to spend
money on another bureaucracy; that money could be better spent directly in
helping people. Again it's a simple solution; increase the stock of safe,
affordable housing.

 

Marion Wright, Chair of the Alliance to End Homelessness

 

 

 

Lynne Browne

Coordinator, Alliance to End Homelessness (ATEH)

147 Besserer St., 2nd Floor, Ottawa, ON K1N 6A7

Cell 613-513-6647

Office 613-241-7913, ext. 205

www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca <http://www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca/> 

 

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