Here are the first 5 proposed addresses for London's homeless hubs

The potential locations for the first five of London's service hubs for people experiencing homelessness were unveiled Wednesday. 

The hubs would open between December 2023 and May 2024 and offer 24/7 wraparound services to people with nowhere else to go. Those accessing the services would have their own bed or living space while transitioning to more permanent housing. 

The hubs will cost up to $2.7 million each to run and are hailed by supporters as a unique made-in-London approach to helping some of the 2,000 people living on the city's streets. Eventually the city would have 15 hubs serving different populations identified as particularly vulnerable. 

Three agencies submitted proposals to operate the hubs for an initial two-year commitment: Atlohsa Family Healing Services, Youth Opportunities Unlimited and The Canadian Mental Health Association Thames Valley Addiction and Mental Health Services (CMHA). 

"London is now on the brink of delivering transformational change to the most marginalized members of our homeless population, and all community members impacted by this crisis," Mayor Josh Morgan said in a statement. "

"This is not only an investment in helping marginalized Londoners experiencing homelessness. It's an investment in public safety, economic development, hospitals, land ambulance, downtown revitalization, neighbourhoods, and enjoyment of public spaces."

The hubs were designed by more than 200 people from 70 different social agencies who came together to try to figure out how to deal with the city's homeless crisis, sometimes called the Whole of Community Response. 

"Sometimes I feel like I'm catching myself in disbelief, but we have momentum to make this happen," said Kevin Dickins, the city's deputy manager of social health and development, speaking to the media when the hub locations were unveiled. 

"To be a demonstration city for other communities across the province and across the country looking to make transformational change in health and homelessness, I think it is a great honour to have and a great responsibility for us to carry forward." 

The proposed locations are as follows: 

For Indigenous people

Atlohsa Family Healing Services is proposing a hub at Parkwood Hospital at 550 Wellington Rd., Building J. That would reconfigure the existing Wiigiwaaminaan shelter space and focus on supporting the Indigenous population. The planned opening date is December 2023, with 18 transitional beds and 10 for respite. Indigenous people represent less than three per cent of London's overall population but 30 per cent of the city's homeless population. 

For young people

Youth Opportunities Unlimited is proposing a hub with nine transitional beds for high acuity youth with medical needs at the Victoria and Children's Hospital. Depending on their needs, the young people could also be sent to the organization's downtown shelter.  Renovations at the hospital where the young people would be housed won't be done until May 2024 so until then, six resting spaces would be added to YOU's youth shelter by December 2023. 

For women

CMHA is proposing a multi-site hub for women, with 10 respite beds at 556 Dundas St., across from My Sister's Place, and 20 transitional beds at the Lighthouse Inn at 705 Fanshawe Park Rd. W. The respite spaces are planned to open in December 2023, while the transitional space will open in May 2024 pending rezoning. 

"I'd be able to take the bus there, anybody could, right? But that is pretty far," said one unhoused individual who went by the name of Alisha. "And it's around people that are a little bit more judgmental than, say, in the east end, where they're more understanding of people's situations." 

She added that she would like to see the city put more effort into developing permanent housing. 

"There's lots of spaces," she said. "There's so many spaces in London that are not being used." 

Funding for the capital costs of the hubs will be sought from the province through its Homeless Prevention Program, within the Fund for Change and Housing Stability Services budgets, as well as recent federal funding under the Housing Accelerator Fund for the City of London. 

The recommendations for the five hubs goes to the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee on Sept. 25, then to full council for final approval on October 5.