There are now 200 people living in 44 encampments across Sudbury, said the city in a statement posted July 30.
“This is a significant increase from the same time last year when we knew of 77 people across 44 locations,’ reads the statement.
Sudbury.com recently covered the growing encampments, and the court case that is protecting them while there is a lack of space in the shelters. You can find that story here.
City said they continue to work with community partners, and reference the Roadmap to End Homelessness, a plan to have the city at functional zero — that is, more or less than three homeless people at a time.
They also point to “systemic and complex reasons” homelessness is increasing, “including increasing market rents, inadequate social assistance rates, insufficient mental health and addiction supports and lack of investment in affordable housing by senior levels of government,” reads the statement. “Locally, we are seeing the impact with an increasing number of people unable to maintain permanent housing.”
The Homelessness Network’s Raymond Landry told Sudbury.com they’ve only been able to house two people this year due to lack of affordable housing.
First acknowledging that “the City of Greater Sudbury can’t end homelessness on its own,” the city statement includes details of the city’s efforts “to work collaboratively with community partners to support people experiencing homelessness, including those living in encampments, and help them access housing.”
The statement then details the homelessness programs and services currently available.
Homelessness Prevention
The Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative (CHPI) is administered through the Ontario Works office and Centre de santé communautaire du Grand Sudbury. The program provides funds for low-income families for last month rent deposits, utility deposits, rental or utility arrears, household items and other miscellaneous needs required to maintain housing.
Coordinated Access System and By-Name List
The City manages a real-time list of people, by name, who are experiencing homelessness and have consented to have their name added to the list. A collaboration of 17 community partner agencies support people from the list and connect them to housing and supports that meet their level of need.
Emergency Shelters and Basic Needs
The City funds the operation of three emergency homeless shelters, with a total of 73 shelter beds, offering a safe, warm place to sleep. Some also provide access to showers, meals and housing-focused referral services. The Off the Street shelter is open to adults of any gender, Cedar Place is open to women or families with children and Safe Harbour House is a low-barrier emergency shelter for women.
Samaritan Centre
The Samaritan Centre also offers access to free meals, laundry, showers, washrooms, a drop-in resource centre and support services.
Client Navigators
The City has a team of staff that helps people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness to navigate the system to get to housing stability. They collaborate with Bylaw, outreach teams, Indigenous partners, emergency shelters, social housing providers and community agencies. They help people get added to the By-Name List, access CHPI funding, and apply for ID, Ontario Works and other income, the social housing waitlist and rent supplement programs.
Community Outreach
Through the Homelessness Network, the community outreach team provides outreach support to people living unsheltered outdoors. They operate 16 hours a day, 365 days a year and offer support and basic needs, clothing, immediate first aid, referrals and transportation to shelter during extreme cold weather. This team adds people to the By-Name List and connects with people who have been matched to a housing program to get them connected to that service.
Indigenous Outreach
The city has partnered with Shkagamik-Kwe Health Centre to provide Indigenous outreach support to people living unsheltered outdoors.
Housing First program
Through the Homelessness Network, lead by Centre de santé communautaire du Grand Sudbury, Housing First case management supports are provided to people who have experienced chronic homelessness, have high needs and require additional support to get and stay housed. Under a Housing First model, the program provides in-home visits, life skills, landlord and tenant support and community integration for 18 to 24 months. An additional $150,000 annually provides housing allowances to participants of the Housing First program to help them access private market housing.
ACTT 3 (LOTUS) Transitional Housing
This is a program that provides housing and support for individuals who are homeless and have complex needs that require intensive support to achieve housing stability. An Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACTT) made up of registered nurses, mental health and addictions workers and social workers, with access to psychiatry and primary care physicians, provides 16 hours of care, seven days a week. The program is currently operating at a temporary location for 13 people and will move to the new 40-unit affordable housing site on Lorraine Street, which is anticipated to be ready by winter 2024.
Flex Funds
The flex funding program is intended to provide front-line service providers with quick and easy access to funds for find creative solutions to barriers for accessing or returning to permanent housing. It is commonly used to transport people back to family or home communities or to access the ID required for housing applications.
Bridge Housing
This is the use of local motel rooms to bridge individuals between homelessness and permanent housing. The bridge program is intended to relieve capacity within the emergency shelter system and stabilize persons who are homeless and have an imminent offer of permanent housing.
For more information on homelessness programs and services in Greater Sudbury, visit GreaterSudbury.ca/Homelessnes.
