Heather Jarvis and Ty Silver from the North End Community Health Centre (NECHC), Leigh MacLean from Welcome Housing and Alison Coldwell from the HOPE Project of the Canadian Mental Health Association were the panellists at a forum called Housing First: The First Step in Ending Homelessness held on Thursday May 11 at Christ Church in Dartmouth. Sponsored by the Pastoral Ministry Committee and moderated by the Rev. Dr. Kyle Wagner (Rector) , the forum was intended to educate the congregation and the community on the challenges and solutions for ending homelessness. Three of the panellists provide housing and services for person who are homeless in HRM but as demonstrated by Alison’s Project Hope that serves persons in the valley, homelessness is a province-wide challenge not just in HRM.
How did we get here? Heather Jarvis who supervises tenant services at Overlook the new harm reduction residence in the renovated Travel Lodge in Dartmouth said the homeless challenge and the affordable housing crisis was decades in the making, “policy decisions led us here”, the crisis was “built, decided and designed.”
When asked if there were common factors that led men and women to be homeless. The panellists stated that although factors like mental illness, addiction and trauma was present in some people, there were many other factors especially leading to the increase in people who are homeless. These factors include reno-victions, poor residential tenancy laws that are unfair for both tenants and landlords, the disappearance of rooming houses, and the chronic under-funding of social assistance benefits. Several persons were finding themselves homeless for the first time. Rental rates in HRM have increased by 13.9 %. Alison Coldwell discovered when she was assisting clients in their search for an apartment that “only four landlords were compassionate”.
Panellists were asked what impact societal attitudes had on persons who are homeless. They answered that people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness are discriminated in viewing apartments. They are often reluctant to reach out for help due to the stigma of homelessness, racism or the risk of having children taken away.
The NECHC and Welcome Housing provide geared to income homes for vulnerable individuals. They have been forced to become landlords when their primary mission is providing services because of the lack of affordable options. Ty Silver, the Housing First coordinator with NECHC described how being housed provides a stable platform to deal with the other challenges the person faces. Overlook is unique. It not only provides permanent and safe housing for the most vulnerable persons who are homeless it provides 24 / 7 on-site support services. This is a successful model demonstrated elsewhere in Canada, a first for Nova Scotia and is now 70% occupied.
An audience member expressed confusion by all the terminology around homelessness and affordable housing. Heather Jarvis indicated she was also confused since definitions and policy seemed to change over time. She indicated that NECHC and other non-for-profit organizations promoted the concept of geared to income rental housing.
In closing the panellists were asked what two actions would they suggest for churches, communities and governments. The audience was challenged to stay informed about the state of homelessness in their community, consider volunteering with an organization that works with persons who are homeless. Recognize that persons who are homeless are deserving, have skills and strengths they have learned how to survive on so little. Overall be welcoming and kind with open doors.
The audience was challenged to push governments for permanent affordable housing, emergency shelters are “less then a band-aid”. Promoting the establishment of basic income guarantee was also suggested since food insecurity and core housing need were the result of the lack of sufficient income.
So now what ? Christian communities working together could help make innovative solutions to homeless like Overlook and other geared to income housing a reality through partnerships, advocacy and pastoral care.
For more information on the panellists’ organizations refer to the website links below:
North End Community Health Centre Home – https://nechc.com
Project H.O.P.E. – CMHA Nova Scotia Division – https://novascotia.cmha.ca/project-hope/
Welcome Housing – https://welcomehousing.ca
