· Lack of (low cost) housing

Government policy: welfare, housing policy, shelter. We have also had some other possible causes raised (and will always be on the watch for others) which we will not be evaluating as much. Some of these are linked to one of the above six: immigration, for instance, increases the risk of joblessness and removes family supports and because of these links increases the risk of homelessness. Others, (e.g., wars, hurricanes) explain a different type of homelessness than what we usually encounter in the street today:

· Wars

· Natural disasters (e.g., hurricane Katrina)

· Immigration

· Lack of education

· Incarceration history

Eventually, we will want to use our analyses of these causes to help us evaluate what policy responses would be most effective.

A list of suggested policy option includes the following:

· Higher minimum wages for low skill work

· Job training programs

· Guaranteed (maybe temporary) jobs

· Connect the homeless to welfare entitlements

· Increase housing (i.e., Section 8) benefits

· Decrease housing Section 8 amounts to spread existing $

· Better shelters (e.g., more privacy)

· More shelters (e.g., more privacy)

· Institutionalize the mentally ill with no other options

· More drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs

· Lower housing codes to increase low cost housing stock

· Reimburse families for taking in relatives

We need to evaluate these responses against what we have learned about the causes of homelessness, for instance from the survey research on the homeless.

One important fact we have learned is the diversity of the homeless, for instance:

1. short vs. long term homeless

2. variety of disabilities

3. variety of sleeping arrangements

This variety of homeless types and homelessness causes implies that no one of the above policy solutions will be sufficient but that different policy solutions have to be crafted to respond to the different types and causes of homelessness.

QUESTIONS

1. PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS REQUIRES POLICIES ON [A] INCOME, [B] HOUSING, AND [C]SUPPORTS TO ENABLE HOMELESS PEOPLE TO SECURE AND MAINTAIN STABLE HOUSING. WHAT ARE SOME PROACTIVE STRATEGIES AND PREVENTATIVE STRATEGIES THAT MIGHT IMPACT THESE POLICY AREAS?

2. THE HOMELESS ACTION TASK FORCE IN TORONTO RECOMMENDED THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DISTINCT HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY FOR ABORIGINAL PEOPLE. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS YOU COULD SUGGEST TO ADDRESS THE ABORIGINAL HOMELESS POPULATION?

SOME SUGGEST STRATEGIES

1. PREVENTION AND SUPPORT SERVICES: RETURN THE SHELTER SYSTEM TO ITS ORIGINAL PURPOSE OF PROVIDING SHORT-TERM EMERGENCY SERVICE AND STOP USING SHELTERS AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR HOUSING. PREVENTING HOMELESSNESS REQUIRES POLICIES ON [1] INCOME, [2] HOUSING, AND [3]SUPPORTS TO ENABLE HOMELESS PEOPLE TO SECURE AND MAINTAIN STABLE HOUSING ======> PREVENTION STRATEGIES WILL INCLUDE [1] EVICTION PREVENTION, [2] CHANGES TO DISCHARGE POLICIES FROM JAILS, HOSPITALS, AND TREATMENT FACILITIES, AND [3] ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR DROP-INS, HOUSING WORKERS, AND OTHER NEEDED SUPPORTSERVICES.

2. INTEGRATION AND COORDINATION: RE-DESIGN THE CURRENT SYSTEM OF SHELTER AND HOUSING PROGRAMS AND SUPPORTS IN TORONTO TO ENSURE ACCESS AND PROMOTE ACCOUNTABILITY. THIS WILL REQUIRE AN UP TO DATE, COMPREHENSIVE, CENTRALIZED INFORMATION SYSTEM ON HOUSING AND RELATED SERVICES. IT ALSO REQUIRES A MORE CENTRALIZED IN-TAKE SYSTEM (WITH MULTIPLE ACCESS POINTS) FOR EMERGENCY, TRANSITIONAL, AND PERMANENT HOUSING PROGRAMS AND IMPROVED METHODS FOR MONITORING, ASSESSMENT, AND EVALUATION. RE-DESIGN OF THESE SYSTEMS WILL BUILD ON EXISTING NETWORKS WITH IMPROVED OPPORTUNITIES TO INTEGRATE HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICE PLANNING ON A LOCAL GEOGRAPHIC BASIS.

3. ADDITIONAL SUPPORTIVE HOUSING: BUILD SUPPORTIVE HOUSING AND DEVELOP THE PROGRAMS FOR CHRONIC USERS WHO ARE HOMELESS DUE TO MENTAL ILLNESS, ADDICTION, OR OTHER REASONS.

4. INCOME AND EMPLOYMENT: PROVIDE ADEQUATE RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO THOSE WHO ARE VULNERABLE TO HOMELESSNESS OR ALREADY HOMELESS DUE TO ECONOMIC REASONS. PURSUE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES TO CREATE JOBS FOR EXTREMELY LOW INCOME PEOPLE AND RECIPIENTS OF SOCIAL ASSISTANCE.

5. MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING: CREATE A MULTI-YEAR PROGRAM FOR PRESERVING EXISTING STOCK AND CREATING NEW SUPPLY THAT MEETS EXISTING AND ANTICIPATED NEED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

6. FAIR SHARE: IMPLEMENT FAIR SHARE POLICIES TO PREVENT TORONTO FROM BECOMING THE MAGNET FOR ALL WHO NEED AFFORDABLE OR SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IN ONTARIO. ENSURE A MORE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF SUPPORTIVE AND LOW-COST HOUSING AND SERVICES ACROSS THE PROVINCE, THE GTA, AND WITHIN THE CITY OF TORONTO.

7. NATIONAL STRATEGY: CREATE A NATIONAL HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION STRATEGY THAT INCLUDES POLICIES ON INCOME AND HOUSING SUPPLY. CLARIFY THE RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE FEDERAL, PROVINCIAL, AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS FOR INCOME, HOUSING SUPPLY, AND HEALTH ISSUES.

8. DISTINCT STRATEGY FOR ABORIGINAL HOMELESS POPULATION: DEVELOP A DISTINCT HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY FOR ABORIGINAL PEOPLE.

9. IMPLEMENTATION: ESTABLISH A MECHANISM THAT ENSURES THAT THE SYSTEM WILL BE IMPLEMENTED, MONITORED, EVALUATED, AND ACCOUNTABLE. VARIOUS GOVERNMENT AND STAKEHOLDER GROUPS, INCLUDING HOMELESS AND FORMERLY HOMELESS PEOPLE, SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVES, WILL PARTICIPATE IN WHATEVER MECHANISM IS ESTABLISHED.