Housing First Model: Combating Homelessness
Part Three of The Current
Housing First Model: Combating Homelessness
If you live in a city in Canada, then you know some of your neighbours don't have a bed to crawl into, a door to lock or even a roof to keep the rain off. Governments and community advocates have battled homelessness for decades, but the streets still teem with shattered men and women.
However, a controversial approach called Housing First, is gathering momentum. the idea is not new, but in a nutshell, the thought is to provide someone housing first -- a safe shelter -- and then help them work through other challenges they face. One of the beneficiaries is a man who wants to be known only as Robert. He was once a homeless alcoholic here in Calgary. But he now lives in his own apartment thanks to a Housing First initiative called Keys to Recovery. Our Calgary producer, Michael O'Halloran, met up with Robert.
A new study finds the model is helping the homeless and saving money. We heard from the study's author, Stephen Gaetz, director of the Canadian Homelessness Research Network and a professor at York University.
To discuss some of the issues surrounding this approach to tackling homelessness, I'm joined by two guests. Sam Tsemberis is a pioneer of the Housing First model, and founded Pathways to Housing in 1992. Four U.S. cities have programs running now. And Cathy Crowe is a longtime street nurse, educator and the author of Dying for a Home: Homeless Activists Speak Out. They were both in our Toronto studio.
This segment was produced by The Current's Hassan Santur and Joan Piloya.
Other segments from today's show: