3. implementation
of ottawa’s 2006-2008 community action plan on homelessness plan d’action communautaire 2006-2008 pour prevenir et resoudre la
question des sans-abri a ottawa |
COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATIONS AS AMENDED
That Council:
1.
Receive and endorse Ottawa’s 2006-2008 Community Action
Plan on Homelessness produced by the community-based homelessness Community
Capacity Building Team.
2.
Approve the proposed actions to be taken by Community
and Protective Services Department in order to implement the recommendations of
the Community Action Plan on Homelessness;
3.
Delegate authority to Community and Protective Services
Department, through the Housing Branch, to allocate its currently budgeted
homelessness funding envelope in accordance with the recommendations of the
Community Action Plan, to:
d.
maintain 2006 provincial and City baseline funding for
support services for the duration of this Community Action Plan, until December
2008;
e.
in consultation with the management of agencies
participating in the Street Health Coalition/Outreach, refocus outreach
services in order to place clients directly from the street into transitional
or long term housing;
f.
implement the recommendations of the evaluation of the
Housing Loss Prevention Network, including funding for strengthening services
in the east end of the City;
g.
allocate funding for strengthening housing support
services, particularly to the newcomer and Aboriginal communities
h.
approach the Chamber of Commerce to join the round
table of community leaders to lobby for more investment in affordable housing
from the Province.
4. Approve
that the strategy include a component dealing with community relations best
practices and that the agencies be requested to establish a response mechanism
to community complaints about their clients and services and establish specific
neighbourhood involvement in established areas.
RECOMMENDATIONS MODIFIÉES DU COMITÉ
Que le Conseil :
1. Reçoit
et appuie le Plan d’action communautaire 2006‑2008 pour prévenir et
résoudre la question des sans-abri à Ottawa élaboré par l’Équipe de
renforcement de la capacité communautaire pour venir en aide aux sans-abri;
2. Approuve
les mesures proposées par les Services communautaires et de protection pour
mettre en œuvre les recommandations du plan d’action communautaire pour
prévenir et résoudre la question des sans-abri à Ottawa;
3. Par l’intermédiaire de la Direction du
logement, délègue aux Services communautaires et de protection le pouvoir
d’allouer son enveloppe budgétaire actuelle sur la question des sans-abri,
conformément aux recommandations du plan d’action communautaire afin:
a. de maintenir le budget municipal et
provincial de base des Services de soutien prévu pour 2006 pendant toute la
durée de ce plan d’action communautaire, c’est‑à-dire jusqu’en
décembre 2008;
b. en collaboration avec la direction des
organismes participant au programme de Santé des gens de la rue, de réorienter
les services d’intervention dans le but de déplacer les clients directement de
la rue vers des logements de transition ou à long terme;
a.
de
mettre en œuvre les recommandations de l’évaluation du réseau de prévention de
perte de logement, notamment le financement pour le renforcement des services
dans l’Est de la Ville;
b.
d’allouer
le financement nécessaire au renforcement des Services de soutien au logement,
en particulier pour les nouveaux arrivants et les collectivités autochtones.
c.
prendre contact avec la Chambre de commerce afin qu’elle se joigne à la
table ronde des responsables communautaires en vue de faire pression sur le
gouvernment provincial pour qu’il investisse davantage dans le logement
abordable.
4.
Approuve que la stratégie comporte un volet portant sur les pratiques
exemplaires en matière de relations communautaires et que les organismes soient
invités à instaurer un mécanisme de règlement des plaintes de la population
concernant leurs clients et leurs services et à assurer l’implication des
quartiers dans des secteurs établis.
DOCUMENTATION
1. Deputy City Manager, Community and Protective Services report dated 9 January 2006 (ACS2006-CPS-HOU-0001).
2. Document 2 - Ottawa’s 2006-2008 Community Action Plan on Homelessness - previously distributed to all members of Council and held on file with the City Clerk.
3. Extract of Draft Minutes, 19 January 2006.
Report
to/Rapport au :
Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee
Comité de la santé, des loisirs et
des services sociaux
and Council / et au Conseil
9 January 2006 / le 9 janvier 2006
Submitted
by/Soumis par: Steve Kanellakos, Deputy City Manager/Directeur
municipal adjoint,
Community and Protective Services/Services communautaires et de
protection
Contact
Person/Personne-ressource : Russell Mawby, Director/directeur,
Housing/Logement
(613) 580-2424 x/poste 44162, russell.mawby@ottawa.ca
|
SUBJECT: |
Implementation of oTtawa’s
2006-2008 community action plan on homelessness |
|
|
|
|
OBJET : |
PLAN
D’ACTION COMMUNAUTAIRE 2006‑2008 POUR PREVENIR ET RESOUDRE LA QUESTION DES SANS-ABRI
A OTTAWA
|
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That
the Health, Recreation and Social Services Committee recommend that Council:
1. Receive
and endorse Ottawa’s 2006-2008 Community Action Plan on Homelessness produced
by the community-based homelessness Community Capacity Building Team.
2. Approve
the proposed actions to be taken by Community and Protective Services
Department in order to implement the recommendations of the Community Action
Plan on Homelessness;
3. Delegate
authority to Community and Protective Services Department, through the Housing
Branch, to allocate its currently budgeted homelessness funding envelope in
accordance with the recommendations of the Community Action Plan, to:
a. maintain 2006
provincial and City baseline funding for support services for the duration of
this Community Action Plan, until December 2008;
b. in consultation with
the management of agencies participating in the Street Health
Coalition/Outreach, refocus outreach services in order to place clients
directly from the street into transitional or long term housing;
c. implement the
recommendations of the evaluation of the Housing Loss Prevention Network,
including funding for strengthening services in the east end of the City;
d. allocate funding for
strengthening housing support services, particularly to the newcomer and
Aboriginal communities
RECOMMANDATIONS DU
RAPPORT
Que le Comité de la santé, des
loisirs et des services sociaux recommande au Conseil municipal :
1. De
recevoir et d’appuyer le Plan d’action communautaire 2006‑2008 pour
prévenir et résoudre la question des sans-abri à Ottawa élaboré par l’Équipe de
renforcement de la capacité communautaire pour venir en aide aux sans-abri;
2. D’approuver
les mesures proposées par les Services communautaires et de protection pour
mettre en œuvre les recommandations du plan d’action communautaire pour
prévenir et résoudre la question des sans-abri à Ottawa;
3. Par
l’intermédiaire de la Direction du logement, de déléguer aux Services
communautaires et de protection le pouvoir d’allouer son enveloppe budgétaire
actuelle sur la question des sans-abri, conformément aux recommandations du
plan d’action communautaire afin:
a. de maintenir le budget municipal et
provincial de base des Services de soutien prévu pour 2006 pendant toute la durée
de ce plan d’action communautaire, c’est‑à-dire jusqu’en
décembre 2008;
b. en collaboration avec la direction des
organismes participant au programme de Santé des gens de la rue, de réorienter
les services d’intervention dans le but de déplacer les clients directement de
la rue vers des logements de transition ou à long terme;
c. de mettre en œuvre les recommandations
de l’évaluation du réseau de prévention de perte de logement, notamment le
financement pour le renforcement des services dans l’Est de la Ville;
d. d’allouer le financement nécessaire au
renforcement des Services de soutien au logement, en particulier pour les
nouveaux arrivants et les collectivités autochtones.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Since 1999, the City of Ottawa and, formerly, the Region of Ottawa-Carleton have worked with the community stakeholders to address issues of homelessness. The Province designated municipalities as Service System Managers for issues of homelessness and devolved many responsibilities to the lower tier government. In a recent audit by the Province, the City of Ottawa’s administration of Provincial funding programs was recognized for the strong systems management approach we are taking. The federal government, through the National Homelessness Initiative (NHI) also recognized the municipal government as the community entity responsible for administering Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI) funding.
In order to have a framework in which to plan and allocate funding, the City worked with the community to develop the first Action Plan to Prevent and end Homelessness in Ottawa-Carleton in June 1999 and the second Community Action Plan in November 2002.
In preparation for a more strategic plan in 2005, the City convened a group of key community stakeholders in May 2004 to develop a Community Capacity Building (CCB) process. The Tamarack Institute was chosen to facilitate and coach the CCB team. Tamarack, an Institute for Community Engagement, sponsors 14 Vibrant Communities initiatives that seek to reduce poverty in Canada. The CCB team comprises representatives from the City, Ministry of Community and Social Services (MCSS), Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC), United Way, Alliance to End Homelessness, supportive housing network, the youth, newcomer, francophone and Aboriginal communities, and community members concerned about homelessness. The work of the community through this CCB process is supported by SCPI funding.
Over the past eighteen months, the community through representation on the CCB team has facilitated the following:
- Production of a Service Inventory of housing and support services for the homeless and at risk population that is available on the web site they funded for the Alliance to End Homelessness
- Development of sector plans for homeless single women, newcomers, single men, homeless needing French language services, Aboriginals, Inuit, and developmentally disabled adult children living with parents
- Evaluation of the Housing Loss Prevention Network
- Scan of homelessness in the rural areas of the City of Ottawa
- Development of an external and internal communication strategy for the community of stakeholders
- Distributed 19 grants of approximately $5,000 each to 17 organizations and partnerships to develop service and management capacity
- Offered service providers 24 training sessions with 15 more scheduled on topics ranging from Diversity Training, Settlement Services, and Medication Management to Landlord and Tenant Disputes
- Development of a leadership training course for clients who wish to become active in planning groups, Boards or any other opportunity that requires sustained, confident participation.
A major milestone of this CCB process is the development of the report Priority on People, Ottawa’s 2006-2008 Community Action Plan on Homelessness to create “A City Without Homelessness” attached as Document 1. This report was released on November 22, 2005 at the National Housing Day Research Forum sponsored by the Alliance to End Homelessness and University of Ottawa. It is the culmination of all the sector planning mentioned above and other consultations with the service sector, funders and the private sector.
Twenty nine recommendations have been identified to take the community forward in finding solutions to the ongoing issues of homelessness. Although there are many other stakeholders in the service sector for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness, the City is a significant participant in both funding and direct service. This report sets out the City’s proposed actions to implement the community recommendations of the Priority on People report including the appropriate allocation of currently budgeted homelessness funding to ensure the proper funding of the proposed initiatives.
RÉSUMÉ
Depuis 1999, la Ville d’Ottawa et l’ancienne
région d’Ottawa-Carleton ont collaboré avec les intervenants de la collectivité
pour traiter des questions relatives aux sans-abri. La province a désigné les
municipalités gestionnaires du réseau de services aux sans-abri et a délégué de
nombreuses responsabilités au gouvernement de premier plan. Dans une récente
vérification effectuée par la province, la gestion des programmes de
financement provinciaux par la Ville d’Ottawa a été soulignée en raison des
approches de gestion efficaces que nous utilisons. Le gouvernement fédéral, par
l’intermédiaire de l’Initiative nationale pour les sans-abri (INSA) a également
reconnu le gouvernement municipal comme étant l’entité communautaire chargée de
l’administration du budget de l’Initiative de partenariats en action
communautaire (IPAC).
Pour être en mesure d’élaborer un
cadre de planification et d’allocation du financement, la Ville a collaboré
avec la collectivité à l’élaboration en juin 1999 d’un premier plan
d’action visant à prévenir et à résoudre la question des sans-abri à
Ottawa-Carleton et elle a récidivé avec un autre plan d’action en
novembre 2002.
En vue de préparer un plan plus
stratégique en 2005, la Ville a rassemblé un groupe d’intervenants
communautaires en mai 2004 afin d’élaborer un processus de renforcement de
la capacité communautaire (RCC). L’Institut Tamarack a été choisi pour aider et
accompagner l’équipe de RCC. L’institut Tamarack pour les répondants en
mobilisation communautaire présente 14 initiatives communautaires
dynamiques qui visent à réduire la pauvreté au Canada. L’équipe de RCC comprend
des représentants de la Ville, du ministère des Services sociaux et
communautaires (MSSC), du ministère de la Santé et des Soins de longue durée
(MSSLD), de Centraide, de l’Alliance pour résoudre la question des sans-abri,
du réseau de logement en milieu de soutien, des jeunes, des nouveaux arrivants,
des collectivités francophones et autochtones et des membres de la collectivité
préoccupés par la question des sans-abri. Les travaux effectués par la
collectivité par l’intermédiaire du processus de RCC est appuyé financièrement
par l’IPAC.
Au cours des 18 derniers mois,
la collectivité a permis de tenir les activités suivantes par l’intermédiaire
de l’équipe de RCC:
- production
d’un répertoire de l’effectif des Services de soutien et de logement pour
les sans-abri et la population à risque accessible sur le site Web et
financé par l’Alliance pour résoudre la question des sans-abri;
- élaboration
des plans de secteur pour les femmes seules sans-abri, les nouveaux
arrivants, les hommes seuls, les sans-abri ayant besoin de services en
langue française, les Autochtones, les Inuits et les adultes qui vivent
chez leurs parents et qui présentent des troubles de développement;
- évaluation
du réseau de prévention de perte de logement;
- aperçu
de la situation de l’itinérance dans les secteurs ruraux de la Ville
d’Ottawa;
- élaboration
d’une stratégie de communication externe et interne pour l’ensemble des
intervenants;
- allocation
de 19 subventions d’environ 5 000 $ chacune à
17 organismes et partenariats dans le but d’élaborer des services et
une capacité de gestion;
- vingt-quatre
séances de formation offertes aux fournisseurs de service et
15 autres séances prévues portant sur des sujets variés allant de la
formation sur la diversité, des services d’établissement, de la gestion de
la pharmacothérapie jusqu’aux conflits entre propriétaires et locataires;
- élaboration d’un cours de formation en leadership pour les clients
qui souhaitent devenir plus actifs dans les groupes de planification, les
conseils ou toute autre occasion qui nécessite une participation continue
et assurée.
Un événement marquant de ce
processus de RCC est l’élaboration du rapport Priorité aux gens, Plan
d’action communautaire 2006‑2008 pour prévenir et résoudre la question
des sans-abri à Ottawa pour en faire « une ville sans itinérance »,
qui est présenté à l’annexe 1. Ce rapport a été publié le
22 novembre 2005 lors du Forum de recherche de la Journée nationale
de l’habitation commandité par l’Alliance pour résoudre la question des
sans-abri et l’Université d’Ottawa. Il s’agit du point culminant de toute la
planification sectorielle mentionnée plus haut et des autres consultations
effectuées auprès du secteur de services, des bailleurs de fonds et du secteur
privé.
Dans
l’espoir de faire cheminer la collectivité dans la recherche de solutions aux
questions sans issue de l’itinérance, 29 recommandations ont été
préparées. Bien qu’il y ait de nombreux autres intervenants dans le secteur de
services dont l’intervention vise les sans-abri ou ceux qui sont à risque, la
Ville constitue un participant important dans le financement et dans le service
de première ligne. Ce rapport établit les mesures proposées par la Ville pour
mettre en œuvre les recommandations collectives du rapport Priorité aux gens,
notamment l’allocation du financement pour les sans-abri du budget actuel pour
veiller à ce que les initiatives proposées reçoivent le financement approprié.
BACKGROUND
The Community Action Plan is clear in identifying the strengths of the Continuum of Housing and Support Services as a framework for coordinating services, planning, research and allocating funding as set out in the following graphic chart (Figure 1).
Figure 1 (larger version in Appendix 1 of Document 1)
There is discussion in the Community Action Plan about the strengths of the current system, particularly noting the effectiveness of:
- coordinated work of outreach network
- locating a housing search and support worker in each emergency shelter
- the work of the community-based Housing Loss Prevention Network
- the work of on-site tenant support workers
- increased number of new affordable housing units
- increased number of licensed rooming houses.
- good relations between the City and homeless agencies
- the City’s “ability to determine priorities and distribute funds for homelessness, thus ‘making a huge difference in the community”.
However, homelessness still exists in Ottawa. The purpose of the Action Plan is to improve the community’s response to these issues. Twenty nine recommendations have been identified to take the community forward in finding solutions to the ongoing issues of homelessness. These recommendations cover the entire range of the Continuum from enhanced street outreach and prevention of homelessness, to ensuring appropriate options for affordable housing, supporting people while they are homeless, and providing opportunities for people to move out of homelessness. There are also two themes relating to advocating for long-term solutions to homelessness and to strengthening the existing service system.
DISCUSSION
The recommendations in the Action Plan are aligned with the important services provided by the City through the Housing Branch, Employment and Financial Assistance (EFA) Branch, the Public Health Branch and Community Funding.
The City’s role is discussed in more detail below under the themes and recommendations as they relate to the various Community and Protective Services Branches identified in the Action Plan.
1. Prevent
people from becoming homeless
There are four recommendations (1a,b, c, d) that identify a role for the Housing Branch in developing an action plan to implement the recommendations from the Housing Loss Prevention Network Evaluation and to provide more coordination of and education about all the community based and on-site services to help prevent loss of appropriate housing.
City
Action
The
Housing Branch:
·
has supported the Network in developing an implementation
plan. The result will be a refocusing
of service delivery and the addition of resources, particularly in the east end
of the City. Part of the refocusing will be a commitment to more education for
tenants and private market and social housing landlords to foster prevention and
early intervention.
·
will convene discussions with all agencies providing on-site
housing loss prevention services, through tenant support workers, and other
stakeholder funders to determine geographical and service priorities.
As
part of its regular business, the EFA Branch assists clients at imminent risk
of losing appropriate housing and/or utilities through:
·
financial benefits to eligible Ontario Works and essential
Health and Social Support Program recipients for arrears payments
·
administration of one-time Rent Bank funding from the Ministry
of Municipal Affairs and Housing and an annualized Emergency Energy Fund from
MCSS.
The EFA
Branch will also continue to participate in housing loss prevention strategies
such as those initiated in 2005:
·
The Early Notification Pilot: a
pilot project that is a partnership between the EFA Branch, the Housing Branch,
OCHC and the Rent Supplement program, and is aimed at preventing rental arrears
due to clients’ not submitting annual income information.
·
The PowerPlay Pilot: Hydro Ottawa, the EnvironCentre and the EFA
Branch work together to help reduce the electricity bills of low income and
socially assisted residents. Pilot participants, who are tenants with Hydro
Ottawa accounts, receive an in-home energy assessment, educational information
about reducing consumption and the cost of hydro and installing of some energy
efficient devices.
· Tenant education: the Carlington Community Health Centre, the EFA Branch and OCHC hold information sessions to inform tenants of their rights and responsibilities concerning their tenancy as well as the supports available to assist with accommodation arrears, property standards, and the annual review process.
2. Ensure
people who are homeless and those at risk of homelessness have a full range of
affordable housing options and appropriate supports.
The
Action Plan recommends that the Housing Branch work with other levels of government
and community agencies to ensure the creation of 200 additional units of
supportive or supported housing over the next ten years and 50 units of
transitional housing annually, including temporary accommodation for newcomers
(2a, 2b, 2e).
A feasibility
study for conversion of some existing shelter space to transitional or
supportive housing for individuals and families who are chronically homeless
could provide more units (3e).
It
is also recommended that 10% of new non-profit and co-operative housing funded
through Action Ottawa be allocated for homeless households on the social
housing waiting list. The goal is 100
units annually with the appropriate portable supports funded by the Province
(2c, 2g).
When
supports are in place, outreach workers should be able to place clients
directly from the street into transitional or long term housing (2h).
Another
option for affordable housing is the recommended allocation of available
provincial funding for housing allowances/rent supplements (400 units in
2005-2006), including a pilot program for supported tenancy in private
apartments (2d).
Besides
access to rental accommodation, it is recommended that the City support
additional affordable homeownership developments for households at risk of
homelessness or in social housing (2f).
City
Action
The
Housing Branch:
·
will continue to convene meetings with local representatives
from Ministry of Community and Social Services (MCSS) and Ministry of Health
and Long Term Care (MOHLTC) and will participate in committees at the Ministry
level in order to pursue integrated planning and funding of mental health and
addiction services, the support services needed to stabilize housing for many
homeless and at risk populations
·
the Provincial Affordable Housing Development program
identifies 75 new units for supported housing plus 50 units from their Housing
Allowance program. City has strongest
track record in Province on helping to build supportive housing projects 325 new
units since 2000
·
will include a feasibility study of possible conversion of
shelter space to transitional or supportive housing in the emergency shelter
review in 2006
·
has and will continue to offer a series of workshops to help
support service agencies understanding the development process, find partners
and develop funding models in order to help create new supportive and supported
housing
·
the current local priority policy does provide priority access
for people identified as being homeless in emergency shelters. The local priorities are being reviewed in
2006 as per Council's original direction, and the recommendation to improve
access by the homeless to permanent housing will be considered in that process,
including consideration of the availability of the support services that may be
necessary to ensure successful tenancies.
Ottawa has the best track record in the province for maximizing the
number of new affordable housing units that are affordable to very low-income
households, and future efforts in the Action Ottawa program will continue and
try to improve the situation.
· will continue to assist in addressing housing needs of homeless households and individuals through use of rent supplement and related programs. In order to foster successful tenancies, the Housing Branch will continue to advocate for the linking of appropriate, portable support services to these households and individuals. There will be further discussions/consultations when the Province releases the details of the proposed Provincial Housing Allowance program in February, with a subsequent report to Council on the program and direction to participate.
· will ensure that funding contracts for outreach services include a service for moving clients from the street to longer term housing when there are support services available.
3. Support people when they
are homeless.
Substance
use is a major consideration in developing services to the homeless. There is a recommendation (3a, b) that the
Housing Branch and the Alliance to End Homelessness:
- ensure that development of the
City’s Integrated Drugs and Addictions Strategy
includes a full spectrum of prevention, harm reduction, treatment and
enforcement needed by homeless individuals and families
- ensure that people who are or have
been homeless are involved in the development of the City’s Integrated
Drugs and Addictions Strategy drug strategy
- advocate with the Champlain Local
Health Integration Network (LHIN) and the MOHLTC for increased funding for
mental health and addiction services that are specific to the needs of
homeless and at risk populations.
City
Action
Community
and Protective Services Department has included representatives of the community of service providers to the
homeless in the development of the Drug Strategy; the client community will be
included in the broader consultations.
The Housing Branch, as a member of the Steering Committee of the Alliance to End Homelessness will request discussion of a joint plan to advocate with the LHIN and MOHLTC for increased funding for mental health and addiction services.
4. Create opportunities for people to move out
of homelessness.
Even if all the personal supports are in place for individuals to move into affordable housing units, there is still the issue of economic sustainability. Education, training and employment opportunities are of prime importance.
The Action Plan recommendations ask that the City of Ottawa continue to support community-based employment creation initiatives for homeless and vulnerable populations, co-ordinating them with existing services and pursue community economic development funding with senior tiers of government. In particular, it is recommended that the EFA Branch work with service providers to pilot workshops and an employment supports program that meet the needs of the homeless community.
Currently,
the EFA Branch provides a range of employment services and programs that
support the employment goals of the Citizens of Ottawa at four sites across the
City. Each site has an employment resource area where Ontario Works client and
members of the general public can access computers, faxes and photocopiers as
well as job listings, newspapers and other employment related books, videos and
directories.
In
addition, Ontario Works' clients have access to many workshops that are offered
as part of the service to increase their employability and job search skills.
One of these service sites that include the Youth Zone Jeunesse Employment
Centre is located downtown in close proximity to many of the city's homeless.
Ontario Works clients can also receive additional funds to cover ongoing costs
associated with participation in employment activities.
The EFA
Branch has also provided program information sessions, in collaboration with
the Canadian Mental Health Association, from community based locations
including Jewish Family Services, the Salvation Army, the Vanier Community
Centre and the Somerset West Community Health Centre. These sessions provided
information about accessing income support programs and provided information
about employment supports available through the Ontario Works program.
For all this to be effective for the homeless population, it is recommended that funders, such as the United Way, the Community Foundation or the City of Ottawa, support an assessment within the homeless community of interest in and need for educational upgrading, skill development, life skills training, apprenticeships and job training.
In order to meet more basic housing needs, it is also recommended that the Housing Branch fund more housing support workers to help homeless individuals and families find and maintain appropriate housing, with sensitivity to the particular needs of Aboriginals and newcomers.
City Action
The EFA Branch will continue to:
- provide a range of employment activities to meet the needs of Ontario Works participants
- consider strategies to support the employment goals of harder to employ populations as part of the Working City Initiative, a CPS strategic priority for 2006-07
- provide financial benefits to Ontario Works participants, including some who are residing in homeless shelters, to cover out of pocket expenses associated with participation in approved employment related activities.
The
Community Funding Division will continue to invest in community-based
non-profit organizations that provide support to vulnerable populations and
help vulnerable overcome barriers.
In rebalancing the support service system, the Housing Branch will take into account the needs of the Aboriginal and newcomer community for housing search, stabilization and housing loss prevention.
5. Advocate for public investment in long term solutions to homelessness.
Based on the
principle that solutions to homelessness require strategic investment in social
infrastructure, it is recommended that Ottawa City Council advocate with
federal and provincial governments for better social housing, immigration,
health and income support policies to prevent and resolve homelessness.
It is also recommended that the City of
Ottawa Community and Protective Services Department support creation of a
leadership table to champion the cause of homelessness, involving highly
influential leaders from business, funders, the media, the faith community,
health, housing and homelessness sectors, and the public at large.
City Action
The Deputy City Manager of CPS Department will work with Community Foundation and United Way to create this leadership table.
The Deputy City Manager of the CPS Department will work with the CCB leadership table to identify key messages around these issues in order to draft appropriate letters to take to Council.
Housing
Branch is leading a national study funded by Infrastructure Canada to improve
understanding of the importance of investments in social and community
infrastructure to ensure the health and well being and economic competitiveness
of cities.
6. Strengthen the service system for homelessness.
In 1999, the provincial government designated municipalities as service system managers for homelessness. In the City of Ottawa, this task has been delegated to Housing Branch, and includes direct funding as well as a coordinating role, since there is also significant homelessness funding that does not flow through the City. That is why the CCB process has recognized the need for the primary stakeholders (service providers, funders, planners, researchers, and clients) to come together to develop a truly community-based action plan on homelessness.
The recommendations about the service system state that the CCB team, which includes representation from the City of Ottawa, the Alliance to End Homelessness, the United Way, and other key Ottawa stakeholders, create an operational coordinating group to engage and link all sectors involved in homelessness, including funders, service providers, social housing providers, homelessness advocates and homeless or formerly homeless individuals.
The role of this operational coordinating group would include (6b):
- on-going monitoring of the Community Action Plan,
- identifying research priorities and funding sources;
- overseeing planning and evaluation, based on strengthened data collection systems;
- establishing bilingual standards and related accountability mechanisms;
- supporting new or enhanced networks of service providers;
- promoting training throughout the service system; and
- implementing a communications strategy to coordinate front-line services and to promote broad-based support for solutions to homelessness.
City Action
The Community and Protective Services Department would be an important participant in this Operational Coordinating Group. For the City to play a credible role, there will have to be ongoing, active participation from the Housing Branch, EFA and Community Funding.
Finally, there is the important recommendation that improvements to the service system increase the involvement of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in planning, decision-making and implementation (6c).
City Action
Community and Protective Services Department will ensure the participation of homeless and at risk in the development and implementation of all City plans affecting them and will advocate for their participation in other community processes.
Community and Protective Services participated in and supported the year-long Task Force on Homelessness and the Safe Streets Act, which is expected to report in February 2005.
Systems Issues
The above actions respond to the recommendations of the Community Action Plan which enfolded the key elements of the eight plans for specific sectors of the homeless population. These recommendations were presented to a large community consultation on October 19, 2005 where they were approved in principle with supplementary input suggested.
Not all of the very specific recommendations of the eight sector plans were listed in the omnibus Community Action Plan, as in many cases they referred to specific agencies and issues. However, the new Operational Coordinating Group of the Community Capacity Building process will review all those plans and decide how best to organize, implement and monitor progress with the oversight of the Leadership Table.
In the meantime, there are systems issues that emerge throughout the sector plans that also require a City response.
Data Collection
Throughout the Community Action Plan and various sector plans, the point was made that the data collection system needs to be strengthened. There is a need for a more detailed profile of the homeless population, their needs, and the alignment of services appropriate to the people requesting those services. The City already has systems in place to collect data, one from the emergency shelters and the other from the other City-funded support services. However, service providers have to be better trained and supported in ensuring the integrity of the data input. The City needs the capacity to analyze and interpret the data collection. This will provide better accountability for the funding being spent and will allow more focused, informed service and system planning.
City Action
The Housing Branch is designating a staff person knowledgeable about the operation of the computerized data collection system used in the emergency shelters, about producing reports and analyzing the data to make it more useful to all stakeholders. These data can be integrated with those collected from other funded support services. There will be collaboration with Community Funding who are reviewing data collection from the programs they fund, including the day programs for the homeless and at risk populations.
French Language Services
The community’s sector plan on French language services was developed in consultation with francophone service providers, 18 key informants and participants in two focus groups. It outlined a very clear message that services in the French language for the homeless and at risk are inadequate in Ottawa. There is a concern that the number of Francophones in the homeless population is significantly underestimated. There are discrepancies in the way in which people are identified and counted. There are serious inconsistencies in the availability of service in the French language, even where supposedly bilingual services are provided.
City Action
The City has supported the CCB
team process of allocating some funding for building partnership capacity to
one of the service providers in order to explore the feasibility of a ‘creation of a
network of all francophone service providers, housing organizations and other
agencies serving the homeless.’ The
group will be exploring whether such a network should be created, its goals,
and how it will operate. Or if a formal
network is not to be created, the participants will at least clarify their
roles vis-à-vis each other, and determine ways they can better coordinate their
work.
The Housing Branch will immediately be working with the shelter operators using the computerized data collection system to ensure better identification of population characteristics, including choice of language for services. This will help develop a better idea of the size and profile of the sector and measure the capacity of the organization to provide services in French. The accurate identification of the need for French language services is contingent on the consistent offer of services in French.
The Housing Branch will consult with the City’s French Language Services Advisory Committee (FLSAC) to develop next steps in addressing some of the concerns around contracted services, policies and evaluation of services. This will lead to an action plan for the recommendations in the sector report. That action plan will be taken back to the primary stakeholders in the community and to the (FLSAC) to ensure that concerns are addressed.
Cultural Sensitivity
Throughout the entire service system, there is a need for cultural sensitivity on the part of all the service providers. This is true for both service planning and delivery to various newcomer populations. Cultural awareness is an important issue with the Aboriginal homeless and at risk population that comprises, at a conservative estimate, 19% of the homeless population. Also, the Inuit who have traditionally been considered part of the Aboriginal community want their own planning process and designated funding allocations.
City Action
The Housing Branch has been
working and will continue to work with the primary service providers for these
homeless sectors in order to better address the specific cultural needs of
their clients.
A specific step the Housing
Branch can take is to facilitate more awareness sessions about the needs of
newcomers, Aboriginal generally and Inuit for funders, service providers and
other stakeholders to attend.
Sustainability
The common concern for all
service providers and advocacy groups is sustainability of existing services. The need for funding for additional
resources especially for mental health and addictions support has been
discussed but the current provincial and City funding for support services is
also limited. This situation has been made worse by the imminent end of the
federal SCPI homelessness funding on March 31, 2006. The federal Minister made the announcement that funding will be
extended for one year. When the
paperwork is done, this funding should be available until March 31, 2007, just
one short year away. There has been a
political commitment made to ongoing federal funding after that date but there
is nothing firm.
Part of the CCB process has
been to encourage and support the sustainability of collaboration based on the
principle that there are resources, other than funding, to be maximized by
working together. This, too, is limited
but does allow for some flexibility and, often, more effective client service.
City Action
The Housing Branch
continues to be involved in discussions at the Provincial Ministry level about
the need for more flexible funding.
There is progress being made with the possibility of pilot projects to
prove the effectiveness of different and innovative service delivery.
There is ongoing advocacy
through the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association (OMSSA) to both the
provincial and federal governments for increased funding for support services
and housing options.
The Housing Branch is
engaging Paul Born from the Tamarack Institute to conduct at least one workshop
on Collaboration for Change for management and Boards of community
agencies.
CONCLUSIONS
It has been confirmed by the community that the City is working well as the service system manager for issues of homelessness. However, it is time to build on the strengths of the Continuum of Housing and Support Services. Using the recommendations of Ottawa’s 2006-2008 Community Action Plan on Homelessness, the Community and Protective Services Department is in a position to implement the actions identified above, in particular by the Housing Branch, the Employment and Financial Assistance Branch and Community Funding Branch.
More specifically, the Housing Branch will use the current homelessness funding envelope to strengthen the outreach, housing search and housing loss prevention services, both on-site and community based in keeping with the recommendations from the Community Action Plan and the sector plans embedded in it.
CONSULTATION
This report is based on Ottawa’s 2006-2008 Community Action Plan on Homelessness that is a product of Community Capacity Building process that included extensive community consultation, including representatives from the Poverty Issue Advisory Committee (PIAC).
Within the City, the Housing, Employment and Financial Assistance, Community Funding and the Public Health Branches and the Deputy City Manager’s office of Community and Protective Services Department have consulted each other in order to develop the actions.
Subject to approval by Committee and Council the Department will continue its ongoing dialogue and consultations with stakeholders to implement the actions outlined in this report including consultations with all applicable City Advisory Committees.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
All funding referenced in this report is within allocated budgets,
including money made available to the City by the provincial and federal
governments.
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 -
Ottawa’s 2006-2008 Community Action Plan on Homelessness (Issued
Separately)
DISPOSITION
The
Community and Protective Services Department will implement the directions of
Council.