FCM Conference Phil Brown, City of Toronto June 7th, 2011

1. FCM Conference Phil Brown, City of Toronto June 7th, 2011

2. Evidence that Housing First is working in Toronto • April 2009 Street Needs Assessment shows a 51% decline in outdoor homelessness compared with the 2006 survey • In those service areas directly administered by the City of Toronto (street outreach and emergency shelters), 2009 survey shows a 1.7% decline since 2006

3. Helping people to find and keep their homes … • More than 3100 people housed since 2005 • More than 80% remain housed for more than 12 months • Research on the program shows that quality of life improves and use of costly emergency services decreases once housed

4. How our Housing First approach started – Tent City 2002

5. Street outreach workers engage with people on the street, building relationships and assisting them through all the steps to move into housing Follow-up supports for up to one year to help people connect to community services Housing First approach is key to all homeless services funded by the City, including emergency shelters Toronto’s Housing First Approach

6. Affordable Housing Ten Year Plan • Council approved the Housing Opportunities Toronto Ten Year Affordable Housing Strategy in August 2009 • Key themes: • Help homeless and vulnerable peopleto find and keep homes • Assist people to afford rents • Help people buy and stay in their own homes • Preserve and fix rental housing and keep it affordable • Create and renew mixed, inclusive and sustainable neighbourhoods • Create new affordable housing

7. Critical success factors • Council commitment to end street homelessness • Opportunity to innovate under Federal Homelessness Partnership Initiative • Committed and innovative staff who believe in making a difference, one person at a time • Client-centred thinking; listening to clients • Non-profit and private sector partnerships

8. Role of the private sector • Approx. 2/3 of clients are housed in the private market • Appealed to private landlords from a business perspective • Landlords get tenants with supports and direct payment of rents • Landlords also receive follow-up support • Strong support from the business community for a social service response, rather than an enforcement response, to street homelessness and panhandling

9. Specialized Services • Mobile Multi-Disciplinary Outreach Team (Mdot) – team of specialists (nurse, concurrent disorders therapist, case manager, housing worker, psychiatrists) who provide outreach and assessment to individuals on the street with severe mental illness • Inter-departmental protocol to respond to encampments with a social service response prior to enforcement • City-wide outreach services for Aboriginal people incorporating traditional cultural values and spirituality • Post-incarceration housing services for people upon discharge or release from correctional facilities • Low-barrier Rapid Access Housing to move people off the street quickly, while developing a permanent housing plan

10. Streets to Homes Assessment & Referral Centre • Purpose is to help people who don’t use traditional shelter system to come in from the street and access shelter, housing and other services • 24/7 Street Respite • Walk-in Housing Access with Housing counsellors on-site daily • Overnight Program - 40 beds for clients engaged in a housing plan • Walk-in Referral to Shelter • Dedicated Local Outreach Services – Assist local stakeholders with issues related to homelessness and panhandling

11. Partnerships • Street Outreach Steering Committee - advisory group with representatives from community agencies, health sector, police and EMS, housing providers, and business associations • Services delivered through partnership between City staff and more than 28 community agencies