Thunder Bay social services board expands Housing First program

A program which helps homeless people get a roof over their head will be nearly doubled over the coming months.

The Thunder Bay District Social Services Board and the Canadian Mental Health Association have piloted what's called the Housing First program for the past year.

The program provides homeless clients who have mental health issues with a stable place to live — along with counselling and support.

The board's director of housing says that, so far, the program has been a success.

"I'm going to say pleasantly surprised and very pleased with the outcome, and the ability of their clients who are now our tenants to integrate into housing units and continue to move forward in changing their lives for the better," Ken Ranta said.

"The premise of the housing first model is in order to help an individual who is in sometimes a worst case situation, the first thing they need to do is be safe and secure in a place that they have shelter, a place to rest their head, and a place to have as a home base."

The program will have 11 clients after they've gone through the board's housing application system, he added.