Ending Homelessness in Regina is A Plan, Not a Dream May 14, 2013.

Ending Homelessness in Regina is

A Plan, Not a DreamMay 14, 2013

The punch line

• A boomtown phenomenon

• Reconsidering homelessness

• Housing is the easy part

• Plan to End Homelessness

Boomtown phenomenon

1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 20160

1000

2000

3000

4000

447 461615

988

1296

1737

2397

3157

3601

3190

Calgary Homeless Count and Growth Rates 1992-2012

YOU ARE HERE

Re-considering homelessness

85% transitionally homeless

8 to 11% episodically homeless

2 to 4% chronically homeless

• Take up 50 to 60% of shelter space• Become homeless once & stay for years or in and out

of homelessness repeatedly• Cannot afford most affordable housing• Have the most barriers to housing • Fewest homeless services available• Homelessness related to disability & poverty• Highest users of public systems & most costly to

system• Highest needs (addiction, mental health, medical)• Highest cost intervention• Planning implication: priority, supports, affordability,

form, NPO/gov’t build-own-operate

• In and out of homelessness rapidly & usually with minimal help

• Lowest needs & therefore need least help• Homelessness largely economic• Most homeless services geared toward them• Planning implication: general purpose affordable

rental, market rental, rent supplements

It’s cheaper to fix than ignore

• Pomeroy: $66,000 to $120,000/person/year inst. response (e.g. prison, psychiatric hospitals) vs. $13,000 to $18,000 for supportive housing

• Simon Fraser University: $55,000/person/year vs. housing and support costs of $37,000

• Calgary: $134,000/person/year for chronically homeless vs. housing & support $10,000 to $20,000/person/year

• 2007: More than $320 million is spent every year in Calgary

• 2007: Cost of homelessness nationally = $4.6 Billion/year

10 Year Plans in a nutshell

• Mark a shift from managing homelessness to ending it

• Close the front door; open the back door, build the infrastructure and get better data.

• Over 350 U.S. jurisdictions have or are working on plans

• Plans to end homelessness taking hold in Canada: Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, Victoria, Winnipeg, Saskatoon

• Alberta first & only province in Canada to have 10 Year Plan

©Copyright CAEH. All rights reserved6

10 Year Plans work

• Calgary: 11.4% decrease from 2008 to winter 2012• ~1% decrease from 2008 to summer 2012

• Edmonton: 30% decrease from 2008 to 2012

• Fort McMurray: 42% decrease 2008 to 2010

• Lethbridge: 51% decrease from 2008 to 2011

• Medicine Hat: 40% reduction in shelter use 2008 to 2011

©Copyright CAEH. All rights reserved7

Alberta

• Over 6,600 Albertans experiencing homelessness have been provided housing and supports

• 10% reduction in emergency shelter use province wide since 2008

• 16% province wide reduction in homelessness (PIT counts) since 2008

• Over 1,600 people have graduated from Housing First programs

• Average 80 percent housing retention rate

Alberta

Reduction in public system use by 6,600 Alberta Housing First clients:

– 61% fewer interactions with EMS

– 56% fewer emergency room visits

– 64% fewer days in hospital

– 59% fewer interactions with police

– 84% fewer days in jail

– 58% fewer court appearances

A couple thoughts on housing

• If you’re in a hole stop digging

• Set priorities

• Lead, follow or get out of the way

• Market rental capacity is every bit as important as affordable housing – consider virtual affordable housing

• Building NPO sector capacity for affordable housing• Operating risk• Financial risk• Housing management• Real estate / development expertise• Community integration

• Smaller buildings in more communities

• There will never be enough government money….

The punch line

• Homelessness is a boomtown phenomenon

• Re-thinking homelessness – priorities & barriers

• Housing is the easy part – consider supports & building a system of care

• Plan to End Homelessness

A Plan, Not a Dream

1st National Conference on Ending Homelessness

For more information or to register: www.caeh.ca/conference

Thank You.

For more information about CAEH,please visit www.caeh.ca or contact us at:

CANADIAN ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESSPO Box 15062, Aspen Woods PO

Calgary, Alberta T3H 0N8

Tel: (403) [email protected]

Twitter: @timrichterFacebook: www.facebook.com/endinghomelessness