Community: Vancouver Region: British Columbia€¦ · Homelessness Partnering Strategy Community...

Homelessness Partnering Strategy

Community Plan 2014–2019

Community: Vancouver

Region: British Columbia

The plan has been approved by Canada for implementation.

As one of the 10 Large Cities, this community is required to commit at least 65% of its

HPS allocation towards a Housing First approach starting April 1, 2015.

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Current Situation: Establishing your Baseline Data ................................. 3

Data ..................................................................................................................... 3

Readiness for Implementing Housing First ............................................................... 4

Community Advisory Board Membership .................................................. 6

Planning and Reporting ............................................................................ 8

Your Planning Process ............................................................................................ 8

Reporting ............................................................................................................ 14

Your Priorities ....................................................................................... 15

Description of your Priorities ................................................................................. 22

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Current Situation: Establishing your Baseline Data

Data Please report on your current situation based on the following indicators. All

CABs should review their progress annually against these indicators. This

review will form part of the annual update. Note: Although this data is not

required at this time, data for 2013 will be required as part of the first annual update.

1. Number of unique individuals who used an emergency homeless shelter in the twelve month period between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012

11,494

2. Number of shelter users who were chronically homeless in 2012 427

3. Number of shelter users who were episodically homelessness in 2012

607

4. Number of homeless veterans who used an emergency homeless shelter in 2012.

5. Estimated number of homeless veterans who were chronically or episodically homeless in 2012.

6. Number of homeless individuals identified during the latest point in time count (if available)

2650

7. Date count was undertaken March 15, 2011

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Readiness for Implementing Housing First

Please rate your community’s readiness to implement Housing First based on

the following questions. Each component of the scale has a rating of one to four

with four demonstrating full implementation of the HPS HF model. Use this information

to decide where to focus your efforts in implementing your HF program. Because

implementing Housing First may take some adjustments, communities will have the

opportunity to rate progress annually and use the information to update priorities.

Note: Responses will only be used by ESDC to understand the selection of the HF

priorities and activities.

Criterion Community’s Rating

CORE PRINCIPLES Rapid Housing with Supports. Program directly helps participants locate and secure permanent housing as rapidly as possible and assists them with moving-in or re-housing if needed.

-1-: Program expects participants to find their own housing and does not offer participants who have lost their housing a new housing unit.

Housing Choice. Program participants choose the location and other features of their housing.

-1-: Participants have no choice in the location or other features of their housing and are assigned a unit without having a say in decorating and furnishing.

Separating housing provision from other services. Extent to which program participants are not required to demonstrate housing readiness.

-1-: Participants have access to housing only if they have successfully completed a period of time in transitional housing and meet all the readiness requirements.

Integrated Housing. Extent to which housing tenure is assumed to be permanent housing with no actual or expected time limits, other than those defined under a standard lease or occupancy agreement.

-1-: There are rigid time limits on the length of stay in housing or the housing is considered emergency.

Tenancy Rights and Responsibilities. Extent to which program participants have legal rights to the unit.

-1-: Participants have no written agreement specifying the rights and responsibilities of tenancy, have no legal recourse if asked to leave their housing and can keep housing only by meeting requirements for continued tenancy.

Reasonable Cost for Housing. Extent to which participants pay a reasonable amount of their income for housing costs and/or program has access to rent supplements or subsidized housing units.

-1-: Participants pay 61% or more of their income for housing costs and program does not have access to rent supplements.

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Criterion Community’s Rating

Housing Support. Extent to which program offers services to help participants maintain housing, such as offering assistance with landlord relations and neighborhood orientation.

-1-: Program does not offer any housing support services.

SERVICE PHILOSOPHY Service choice. Extent to which program participants choose the type, sequence, and intensity of services such as recovery, medical and other services.

-1-: Services are prescribed by the service provider with no input from the participant.

Participant-Driven Program & Services. Extent to which the program and services are participant-driven.

-1-: Program does not offer any opportunities for participant input into services at any level.

Contact with Participants. Extent to which program maintains regular contact with participants.

-1-: Program has no contact with participants.

Continuous Services. Extent to which program participants are not discharged from services even if they lose housing.

-1-: Participants are discharged from program services if they lose housing for any reason.

Directly Offers or Brokers Services. Program directly offers or brokers support services to participants, such as recovery, medical and other services.

-1-: Program does not offer services to participants, either directly or through brokering.

Selection of Vulnerable Populations. Extent to which program focuses on chronic and/or episodically homeless individuals.

-1-: Program has no method to identify and select participants who are chronic and/or episodically homeless.

TEAM STRUCTURE/HUMAN RESOURCES Low Participant/Staff Ratio. Extent to which program consistently maintains a low participant/staff ratio.

-1-: 50 or more participants per 1 FTE staff.

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Community Advisory Board Membership

1. Name of the Community Advisory Board: Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness (RSCH)

2. Number of members in your CAB: 26


Last

Name

First

Name

TITLE

ORGANIZATION

SECTOR(S) Role

on CAB

Include

on Distributi

on List?

Atkey Jill BC Non-Profit Housing Association - Housing and social housing Member Yes

Bond Abi City of Vancouver - Other: municipal government Member Yes

Froese Darin BC Housing / Provincial Government - Housing and social housing Member Yes

Gibson Nora Service Canada - Other: HPS Service Canada Liaison Ex-officio member

Yes

Leba Tanniar La Boussole - Non-profit Member Yes

MacIntyre David MPA Society - Housing and social housing Member Yes

Laitar June Aboriginal Housing Provider Interim Rep - Aboriginal Member Yes

Mills Arthur YWCA Metro Vancouver - Housing and social housing Member Yes

Moriarty Bonnie The Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver - Non-profit Member Yes

Murphy Aileen City of Surrey - Other: Municipal government Member Yes

O'Shannacery

Karen Lookout Emergency Aid Society - Non-profit Member Yes

Shaw Michelle Pacific Community Resources Society - Youth Member Yes

Bonesky Caroline Family Services of Greater Vancouver - Non-profit Co-chair Yes

Stewart Patrick Aboriginal Homelessness Steering Committee - Aboriginal Member Yes

Sundberg Alice Past RSCH Co-Chair - Other: Pas RSCH Co-chair Ex-officio member

Yes

Taylor Nanette Hollyburn Family Services Society - Non-profit Member Yes

White Clifford Metro Vancouver Aboriginal Executive Council - Aboriginal Member Yes

Wilson Bonnie Vancouver Coastal Health - Healthcare, including mental health and addictions treatment

Member Yes

Woodland David The Salvation Army - Non-profit Member Yes

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Last Name

First Name

TITLE ORGANIZATION

SECTOR(S) Role on

CAB

Include on

Distribution List?

Bryant Deb United Way of the Lower Mainland - Non-profit Chair Yes

Burnham Darrell Coast Foundation Society (1974) dba Coast Mental Health

- Healthcare, including mental health and addictions treatment

Member Yes

Burpee Sandy Tri-Cities Homelessness; Housing Task Group - Other: Community HOmelessness Table Member Yes

Doherty Becky Fraser Health Authority - Healthcare, including mental health and addictions treatment

Member Yes

Dressler Michael New Hope Community Services Society - Non-profit Member Yes

Dyson Jane BC Coalition of People with Disabilities - Non-profit Member Yes

Ediger Stephanie

Alouette Home Start Society - Non-profit Member Yes

3. Given the requirement to allocate funding to the Housing First approach, which involves both housing and

individual supports, are there any sectors or organizations the CAB needs to include and/or engage in the future

to more fully represent your community? (for example, Provincial or Territorial representatives responsible for

housing and/or mental health, landlord organizations, people with lived experience, police, corrections, health

and health promotions (including the Health Authority), income supports, other funders, addictions treatment)

Yes

Please identify the sectors or organizations and describe how they will be engaged.

All sectors are sufficiently involved. While some groups may not have a direct seat at the Constituency Table, the various

sectors are involved in the RSCH through either an Advisory Group, one of the Constituencies, a Community Homelessness

Table, or general membership meeting. The private / for profit sector is being engaged through an engagement strategy and a

“business” constituency seat allocated at the decision-making table of the CT. This seat is intended to include for-profit

organizations such as property developers, landlord associations and the region’s boards of trade. People with lived experience,

police, and justice system representatives are engaged through sub-regional Community Homelessness Tables at a local level.

CHT members participate in the CAB sub-committees and their voice is represented at the decision-making table.

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Planning and Reporting

Your Planning Process

1. Stakeholder Engagement

a. Who and how did the CAB consult in your community as you prepared this Community Plan? Please include information about the approach you took and the extent of your consultations. Oct-Nov RSCH; CitySpaces hosted consultations: 3 sub-regional workshops; 4 focus groups (youth, women, seniors, Aboriginal) 2 meetings of Greater Vancouver Shelter Society; RSCH Funders Table; 10 1:1 interviews of the homeless. 75 housing; homelessness orgs participated across the region. Summary report; online survey sent to 600 orgs to rank priorities; strategies identified in consultations. 141 surveys received from organizations that served adults, women, families, youth, seniors and Aboriginal clients. Advisory group met to review; interpret results of online survey for alignment with HPS priorities; activities. Sub-group found alignment with all HPS eligible activities in priorities identified during consultations; weighted them “high” “med” or “low” based on survey results; immediate need. RSCH Funders Table reviewed HF funding framework, consultation results, analysis of member funding priorities; gaps: recommended general allocations for each priority based on anticipated funding gaps. Feedback reviewed by Finance; Audit Advisory Group to finalize Investment Strategy incorporating all consultation feedback, regional readiness assessment using template provided here. This was forwarded to the original advisory group for review; recommended to RSCH Constituency Table mtg of Feb 13/14 which recommended the Plan on behalf of the RSCH to Service Canada.

b. How is the CAB working with the Aboriginal sector and/or local Aboriginal CAB to identify and implement Aboriginal homelessness priorities? In support of the RSCH’s document, Moments Of Confluence: Partnering with the Aboriginal Community to Address Homelessness in Metro Vancouver, the Aboriginal Homelessness Steering Committee (AHSC) supports the establishment of a bi-lateral Working Group to be comprised equally of members of the RSCH and the AHSC with secretariat services from Metro Vancouver Secretariat. The purpose of the Working Group is to establish the Aboriginal Engagement Strategy for the RSCH.

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2. Other Related Strategies and Programs

a. In this section, you will identify and describe the federal, provincial, territorial, or local strategies, programs (other than HPS) which fund activities in your community that you will access to support your Housing First and other homelessness effort. How many have you identified? 20

Name of federal, provincial or territorial or local strategies and programs

Focus of strategy or program

Provincial Housing Strategy (Housing Matters BC), In 2014, the Province updated the 2006 Housing Matters BC, the Provincial Housing Strategy. Within the context of Housing Matters BC - homelessness was identified as one of the key priority areas.

- Social housing - Rent supplements - Mental health - Addictions - Healthcare

Homeless Outreach Program (Province) - Social housing - Rent supplements - Mental health - Addictions - Income supports - Social integration

Fraser Health Mental Health 5 Year Housing Plan for leadership, recommendations, planning, development, implementation; evaluation of Mental Health Housing Services

- Mental health - Healthcare - Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team

Shelter Net BC/Shelter Planning Group 2006 Strategy w/HF approach to ending homelessness while meeting urgent shelter needs for sub-populations and sub-regions

- Social housing

Fraser Health Mental Health and Addiction Services Strategic Action Plan:Services for Homeless/ at Risk of Homeless w/HF approach: outreach, supportive hsng options, mental health/addiction; prevent services, public awareness w/Govt; Cmty Services

- Mental health - Addictions - Healthcare - Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team

Fraser; Vancouver Coastal Health ACT and ICM teams in Surrey, New Westminster, Tri Cities w/40 housing subsidies attached; teams will be increased in Vancouver; Fraser Health Regions


TIP; TIPPY housing supports to young adults; parents; - Social housing

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assessments to determine supports goal plans; housing search, moving, furniture, and landlord/tenancy conflict resolution, supports; 1:1 for life skills; peer support

- Rent supplements - Income supports - Social integration

Vanc Coastal Health Innercity Youth Mental Health: ~ 700 street youth; partner w/shelters; hsng; manage; support YMH Hsng group; patient-centre care, facilitate groups; connect to services


Street to Home Foundation, 10 Yr Cmty Action Plan for implementing a Housing First approach. Streets to home raised $26.5 million in two years to complete 1,100+ supportive housing units for homeless adults, youth and women in Vancouver


GVRD Regional Affordable Housing Strategy and Municipal Housing Action Plans

- Social housing - Rent supplements

Community Homelessness Tables GVRD municipalities: connecting service providers, agencies, business, politicians and citizens for collaborative regional responses; research, coordinate actions; public edu; region-wide solutions; HAW; RSCH; CAB reps

- Social integration

Community Homelessness Tables GVRD municipalities: connecting service providers, agencies, business, politicians and citizens for collaborative regional responses; research, coordinate actions; public edu; region-wide solutions; HAW; RSCH; CAB reps

- Social integration

Aboriginal Homeless Outreach (Province). In 2007 the Province expanded the Homeless Outreach Assistance to include an Aboriginal component which would target the specific needs of homeless and at risk Aboriginal people

- Social housing - Rent supplements - Mental health - Addictions - Income supports - Social integration

Women’s Transition Housing;Supports Prov BC Housing provide funding for Transition, Safe; 2nd stage housing, for women with dependent children or not, experienced or at risk of experiencing violence; providing support

- Social housing - Income supports - Education - Social integration

Supportive Housing Registration: single point access to supportive housing funded through BC Housing facilitates transition from homelessness to supportive housing by allowing applicants; agencies to submit 1 appl; not register w/many providers

- Social housing - Rent supplements - Mental health - Addictions - Healthcare

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Provincial Homelessness Initiative –– Single Room Occupancy Units (Province): BC Prov SRO purchase; reno existing units to prevent housing stock loss. Approx 26 properties, 1,473 units purchased; majority located in Vancouver

- Social housing - Rent supplements

Homeless Rent Supplement (Province): BC Prov Rent Supplement to support 750 new homeless rent supplement units; provides $120 per month to be used in combination with other assistance

- Rent supplements

Provincial Homelessness Initiative –– Local Government Partnerships (MOU): BC Prov; Local Govt MOU for land for supportive housing; to-date, Maple Ridge, Surrey; Vancouver participating

- Social housing - Rent supplements - Mental health - Addictions

BC Prov Emergency Shelter Program to increase # of permanent year round beds; includes funds for some 24/7 shelters

- Social housing

BC Prov Extreme Weather Response prgrm funds time-limited, temporary shelter beds needed during extreme weather conditions from approximately Nov-Mar

- Social housing

b. Does your Province or Territory have a plan or strategic direction to address homelessness, poverty, housing, or another related issue? Yes

How does your HPS Community Plan complement Provincial or

Territorial direction in this area?

Partially aligns

Please explain.

Provincial direction and programs include a significant homelessness

prevention rent supplement program with supports, new supportive housing

(Housing First) units and other related homelessness services. HPS

Emergency Housing funds and other community services will enhance the

Provincial programs, which will help to ensure long term sustainability. CAB

and community can take advantage of provincial goals and directions by

building on provincial programs and HPS funding opportunities. In 2014, the

Province updated Housing Matters BC, the Provincial Housing Strategy. It

largely brought forward priorities from the 2006 strategy. Within the context

of the Housing Matters BC - homelessness was identified as one of the key

priority areas and Housing First a solution implemented through the strategy.

The BC Housing Matters Strategy has been updated. Provincial direction and

programs include a significant homelessness prevention rent supplement

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program with supports, new supportive housing (Housing First) units and

other related homelessness services. HPS Emergency Housing funds and

other community services will enhance the Provincial programs, which will

help to ensure long term sustainability. CAB and community can take

advantage of provincial goals and directions by building on provincial

programs and HPS funding opportunities.

c. The Housing First approach requires access to a range of client supports. How will you engage (or how are you engaging) provincial or territorial programs to facilitate access to provincial/territorial services for Housing First clients? To the degree possible, HPS Emergency Housing funds and complementary

services will build on the provincial homelessness programs and initiatives.

Opportunities for alignment will be identified through quarterly meetings and

ongoing communications. Prior to Calls for Proposals BC Housing will meet

with the CE, CAB and Service Canada to identify ways and means to optimize

community access to provincial and federal funding opportunities, and

prevent duplication.

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3. Community Contribution

As part of the eligibility for HPS Designated Community funding, each community must be able to demonstrate that it

has mobilized funding partners to contribute to its homelessness efforts.

• Your community must show that it can identify $1 contributing to your homelessness efforts from other sources

for every dollar in your Designated Community allocation.

o The community contribution can include funding from any partner other than HPS such as: governments

(Federal, Provincial/Territorial or Municipal/Regional); public institutions, such as hospitals, schools or

universities; aboriginal organizations; private sector organizations; and not-for-profit/charitable sector

organizations, such as foundations or the United Way.

o If an organization is contributing (financial or in-kind) to more than one activity, you may combine all the

amounts received and enter the information once.

• The Community Entity (CE) will be required to report annually on the actual amount received.

You will be asked to provide this information during the annual update. At this time, we need information about your

community contribution for 2014-2015.

a. How many funders have you identified? 10

Name of Funder Type of Funder Contact Information Financial Contribution

Non-Financial Contribution

Total Contribution

Contact Person

(E-mail or Phone Number) (dollars) (Estimate in Dollars)

(Dollars)

BC Housing Province/Territory Loris Dennis

[email protected]

30,000,000 0 30,000,000

StreetoHome Foundation

Foundation Rob Turnbull

[email protected]

26,500,000 0 26,500,000

Vancouver Foundation

Foundation Mark Gifford

[email protected] 7,500,000 0 7,500,000

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Vancity Community Foundation

Foundation Vera LeFranc

[email protected] 4,000,000 0 4,000,000

Surrey Homelessness and Housing Society

Foundation Vera LeFranc

[email protected] 2,200,000 0 2,200,000

Vancouver Coastal Health

Other: Health Authority

Bonnie Wilson

[email protected]

8,250,000 0 8,250,000

United Way of the Lower Mainland

Not for profit/Charity

Deb Bryant

[email protected]

250,000 0 250,000

City of Vancouver Municipality Brenda Prosken

[email protected]

75,000 500,000 575,000

Fraser Health Other: Health Authority

Becky Doherty

[email protected]

0 0

City of Surrey Municipality Aileen Murphy

[email protected] 0 0

Total Community Contribution (dollars)

$79,275,000

HPS Designated Communities Funding Stream allocation (dollars)

$8,221,829

Reporting The Community Advisory Board is expected to report to its funder (Employment and Social Development Canada), its stakeholders and

the broader community on what it is doing and the progress the community is making in reducing homelessness.

The HPS was renewed with a commitment to using a Housing First approach and demonstrate reductions in homelessness. The collection of data and results will be critical to this change. As part of your community planning process, you will set priorities and select activities. Projects should lead to results that contribute to reductions in homelessness. The HPS has identified specific results that it will be collecting through Results Reporting, but the CAB and CE should also be working together to identify other results they would like to gather.

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Your Priorities

Priorities The percentage of your HPS Designated Community (DC)

allocation that will be invested in this priority in:

Activities Selected Targets for 2014-2015 Where a target is set at 0 it could be because:

(1) The community will not be implementing the activities in 2014-2015.

(2) The activities will lead to outcomes different from the ones identified in the targets.

2014 -

2015

2015 -

2016

2016 -

2017

2017 -

2018

2018 -

2019

To reduce homelessness through a Housing First (HF) approach*

40% DC

68 % DC

68 % DC

68 % DC

68 % DC

% of HF Funds by activity selected (Related to 2014-2015 only)

● 13%: HF Readiness ‡ ● 23%: Client Intake & Assessment

§ ● 20%: Connecting to and

Maintaining Permanent Housing **

● 32%: Accessing Services through case management ††

● 12%: Data, Tracking & Monitoring ‡‡

• Number of individuals that will be placed in housing through an HF intervention: 93

• Number of days for HF clients to move into permanent housing after intake: 365

• Percentage of HF clients who will successfully exit the program to a positive housing situation: 0

To improve the self-sufficiency of homeless individuals and families and those at imminent risk of homelessness through individualized

30% DC

10% DC

9% DC

10% DC

7% DC

Housing Placement (outside of Housing First)

The HPS has not asked for targets related to this activity.

Connecting clients to income supports

57 people will increase their income or income stability.

Pre-employment suport and bridging to the labour market

57 people will increase their employment stability or will start part-time or full-time employment.

57 people will start a job training program.

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2014 -

2015

2015 -

2016

2016 -

2017

2017 -

2018

2018 -

2019

services † Life skills development (e.g. budgeting, cooking)


Supports to improve client's social integration


Culturally relevant responses to help Aboriginal clients


Connecting clients to education and supporting success

57 people will start part-time or full-time education.

Liaise and refer to appropriate resources

57 people will remain housed at three months after receiving a housing loss prevention intervention.

Housing loss prevention (only for individuals and families at imminent risk of homelessness)


Basic or urgent needs services


To preserve or increase the capacity of

25 % DC

20 % DC

20 % DC

20 % DC

20 % DC

Transitional housing facilities

22 new transitional housing units will be added to a new or existing housing unit.

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2014 -

2015

2015 -

2016

2016 -

2017

2017 -

2018

2018 -

2019

facilities used to address the needs of people who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness.

Supportive housing facilities

24 new permanent support housing units will be added to a new or existing housing unit.

Emergency shelter facilities

10 new emergency shelter beds will be added to an existing emerency shelter.

Non-residential facilities


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2014 -

2015

2015 -

2016

2016 -

2017

2017 -

2018

2018 -

2019

To ensure coordination of resources and leveraging

3% DC

1% DC

1% DC

1% DC

4% DC

- Determining a model in support of a broader systematic approach to addressing homelessness - Identifying, integrating and improving services (including staff training on activities and functions in support of a systems approach to homelessness) - Partnership and development in support of systems approach to homelessness - Working with the housing sector to identify opportunities for and barriers to permanent housing (e.g. establishing landlord relationships, mapping of current available assets) in support of a broader systematic approach to addressing homelessness - Consultation, coordination, planning, and assessment (e.g. community planning)

The HPS has not asked for targets related to these activities.

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2014 -

2015

2015 -

2016

2016 -

2017

2017 -

2018

2018 -

2019

To improve data collection and use

2% DC

1% DC

2% DC

1% DC

1% DC

- Identifying the size and make-up of the entire homeless population - Tracking non-Housing First clients - Point-in-time counts - Community indicators (beyond the requirements for HPS) - Information collection and sharing (including implementing and using HIFIS)

The HPS has not asked for targets related to these activities.

Notes:

* The Housing First model includes both housing and access to supports primarily for chronically and episodically

homeless individuals. The services provided are offered through an integrated approach and are interdependent.

Generally, the approach will be to ensure that Housing First clients have access to all the existing services required.

‡ Housing First readiness activities include:

• Determining the Housing First model (e.g. consultation, coordination, planning, and assessment)

• Identifying, integrating and improving services (including staff training on Housing First activities and functions)

• Partnership development in support of a Housing First approach

• Working with the housing sector to identify opportunities for and barriers to permanent housing (e.g.

establishing landlord relationships, mapping of

current available assets)

§ Client intake and assessment activities include:

• Coordinated intake management (where feasible)

• Client identification, intake and assessment, focusing on the chronically and episodically homeless populations.

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** Connecting to and maintaining permanent housing require communities to establish housing teams that implement

the following activities:

• Facilitate access to housing, which could include providing emergency housing funding to bridge clients to

provincial/territorial system

• Set-up apartments (insurance, damage deposit, first and last months’ rent, basic groceries and supplies at move-

in, etc.)

• Furnish apartments for HF clients (furniture, dishes, etc.)

• Repair damages caused by HF clients

• Provide Landlord-tenant services

• Re-housing (if required)

†† Accessing services through case management include the following activities:

• Coordination of a case management team

• Peer Support

• Working with clients to set goals

• Identifying a strategy for reaching the goals

• Connecting clients to services needed to reach the client’s goal

• Monitoring progress

• Support services to improve the self-sufficiency of chronically and episodically homeless individuals and families

in the Housing First program through individualized services, including: connecting clients to income supports; pre-

employment support, and bridging to the labour market; life skills development (e.g. budgeting, cooking); supports

to improve clients’ social integration; and culturally relevant responses to help Aboriginal clients; and connecting

clients to education and supporting success

‡‡ Data, tracking, and monitoring activities include:

• Identifying the size and make-up of the chronically and episodically homeless population by accessing shelter

data

• Tracking HF Clients

† These services are offered primarily to individuals who are homeless or imminently at risk that are not part of the

Housing First program.

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Results

With renewal, the HPS is increasing the focus on achieving results. All projects are expected to contribute to reducing

or preventing homelessness and CABs and CEs should be working together to determine how they will measure project

success. The HPS has identified a number of indicators it will be using to measure the success of the HPS at reducing

and preventing homelessness.

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Description of your Priorities

Housing First (HF) Priority

Rationale

Why is this a priority for your community? If the priority was identified

in another related plan or planning process, please identify it.

To reduce homelessness, the community identified a need to provide permanent

housing for the chronically homeless population. In 2011, the Metro Vancouver

Homeless Count identified 222 individuals who were homeless for 6-12 months

on the night of the count. In 2012, BC Housing counted 417 individuals that

were homeless for 180 cumulative days in their permanent shelters. Preliminary

data from the 2014 Homeless Count indicate that numbers have increased

overall by 5% however it is not known at this time whether this affects the trend

of chronic or episodic homelessness.

During regional consultations, service providers identified Housing First as one of

the preferred approaches to addressing homelessness among the chronically and

episodically homeless populations, as well as among the homeless population in

general.

The results of the “Lets Talk Ending Homelessness” consultation survey showed

that the community ranked “Provide more housing in the region to persons who

are homeless or at-risk of homelessness through a combination of purpose built,

dedicated buildings and scattered site units.”, most important out of six options

on Housing Strategies. “Establish partnerships between housing providers,

government agencies, businesses and developers to increase the number of

subsidized units in the region.” was ranked 5th. From a list of capacity building

strategies, “collaboration between local and regional government agencies,

housing and shelter providers, and health practitioners to increase the collective

capacity to provide services, build consensus on new initiatives, and enhance

support across communities.”, “Encourage integration of services by

coordinating funding providers, increasing access to funding, creating

consistent criteria, and removing competitive nature of funding applications.”

and “Provide professional development and specialized training for staff working

with people who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness.” were ranked 1st, 2nd

and 6th respectively. The RSCH Funders Table identified this priority as a

funding gap among the regional funders of homelessness services and facilities,

and recommended that some funds be allocated to this priority.

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What other resources can you leverage to contribute to your HF efforts?

• HF Readiness

The Transition Year will be used to invest in exploring readiness resources that HPS can leverage.

• Client Intake & Assessment Intake; assessment protocols of the housing and health authorities will be explored for region-wide application in HPS-funded facilities as part of the Transition Year Housing First Readiness investment.

• Connecting to and Maintaining Permanent Housing The province aims to construct 1600 units of supportive housing. Implications for HPS –funded Housing First clients to be explored during Transition Year

• Accessing Services The health authorities operate Intensive Case Management and Assertive Community Treatment teams and will be consulted with on the best approach to leveraging this resource for HPS Housing First investments.

• Data, Tracking & Monitoring Service providers are collecting data on clients and outcomes. HIFIS is being explored as an option to track and monitor Housing First clients. This will be finalized during the Transition Year.

Description of the Housing First (HF) Approach

Please describe your Housing First approach, identify what percentage

of your allocation will be used towards furnishing and repairing

housing for HF purposes and provide a timeline for HF implementation.

The Housing First approach for Metro Vancouver will be developed during the

transitional year through investments in Housing First Readiness activities. The

following presents the definition taken to analyze regional resources and

infrastructure to inform the year 1 priorities and investment strategy:

There will be no requirement for people who are homeless to become ‘housing

ready’ before getting permanent housing. They do not need to move through the

continuum of shelters and transitional housing before being eligible for

permanent housing, and they don’t need to be engaged in mental health or

addictions treatment programs prior to being housed. Housing First is based on

the idea that issues that may have contributed to a person’s homelessness, such

as a lack of employment, addiction, poor mental or physical health, can be best

addressed once a person has stable housing.

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The model in the region includes a variety of approaches. It includes scattered

site, dedicated buildings and convertible leases as described in the “Let’s Talk

Ending Homelessness” consultations. Our scattered site approach, also referred

to as the rent supplement approach, is to help participants access a self-

contained apartment in a private rental building or secondary suite in someone’s

home and receive a rent subsidy as well as support services.

In our region, rent subsidies may be provided on a short or long-term basis,

depending on the particular program. Another approach in our region is for

participants to be offered housing in dedicated buildings (usually non-profit)

where all the units are dedicated to a particular target population. This approach

is also known as congregate housing – particularly if tenants share some of the

common spaces or facilities.

A third approach in our region is where units are originally leased to an agency

that offers the unit to a program participant. After a certain period of time (e.g.

the participant has successfully completed a program or time-limited case

management), the participant may assume responsibility for the lease and

become a ‘permanent’ tenant. This approach, which may be known as a

convertible lease, enables participants to maintain their housing and avoid the

disruption of being required to move at the end of a program.

The CAB recognizes that support services are critical to the success of a Housing

First approach, and that services may vary in intensity when a person is housed

to ensure a successful tenancy and promote economic and social well-being.

Services may be short-term (e.g. up to 12 months) to help participants stabilize

in their housing and access community-based resources, or long-term. Longer-

term approaches may include Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) – a model

of case management where a multi-disciplinary team of professionals provides

services to clients on an outreach basis, or Intensive Case Management (ICM) –

where a single case manager delivers services and coordinates access to

available services in the community.

Generally, clients may move through the Housing First system as follows:

- Referral / outreach;

- Permanent housing;

- support services;

- independence

25 | P a g e

This flow will be enabled through coordinated access to housing, common intake

and prioritization processes; protocols, centralized case management system,

centralized registry of available units, standards of care, monitoring and

reporting. Housing first is one of many solutions. Aboriginal communities,

women, children, youth and other priority populations require dedicated

approaches that meet their unique needs.

Target Group(s)

Please describe in more detail the group(s) this priority will address.

• Chronically homeless individuals

• Episodically homeless individuals

Individualized Services priorities

Rationale




that the community ranked from among the 7 prevention and support strategies,

“Improve the situation of people who are homeless and at-risk of homelessness

by making financial assistance and subsidy programs accessible and adequate”

most important, with the second highest ranked strategy being “Increase,

enhance and update outreach and support services to become more flexible,

responsive and inclusive in their approach” out of seven options. Provide a

range of support services throughout the region that are specific to Aboriginal

communities and at-risk populations, such as services specific to at-risk youth,

seniors, women, families, and persons with mental health or addiction issues,

was ranked third, “Increase access to education and employment opportunities

for at-risk groups to improve their financial situation and prospects for personal

growth” ranked fourth, Foster community building and a sense of belonging by

creating social networks and connections for clients” was ranked 5th, “Improve

discharge planning and support for individuals leaving hospitals, treatment

centres, and prisons” ranked 6th, and “Improve access to food programs and

nutritious meals for individuals who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness,

living in shelters and living in supportive housing” ranked 7th.

26 | P a g e

Target Group(s) within the homeless and at imminent risk of homelessness

populations


- Families and children

- Youth

- Seniors

- Aboriginal people

- Immigrants and refugees

- Veterans

- Official languages minority

communities

- Men

- Women

- People with a mental health

issue

- People with disabilities (other

than mental health)

- People with addictions

Facilities priorities

Rationale




that the community ranked “Provide more housing in the region to persons who

are homeless or at-risk of homelessness through a combination of purpose built,

dedicated buildings and scattered site units.”, most important out of six options

on Housing Strategies. Provide a range of support services throughout the

region that are specific to Aboriginal communities and at-risk populations, such

as services specific to at-risk youth, seniors, women, families, and persons with

mental health or addiction issues, was ranked second as a Housing strategy.

“Prevent the loss of units and improve the quality of existing low income

housing stock (e.g. upgrading SROs and renovating existing buildings)” was

ranked third, and “Continue to provide different types of shelters and safe

houses as part of the housing spectrum, and focus on enhancing shelter safety,

expanding operations to provide more onsite support and case planning, and

strategically develop shelters in underserved communities.”, was ranked 4th.

27 | P a g e

Target Group(s) within the homeless and at imminent risk of homelessness

populations


- Families and children

- Youth

- Seniors

- Aboriginal people

- Immigrants and refugees

- Veterans

- Official languages minority

communities

- Men

- Women

- People with a mental health

issue

- People with disabilities (other

than mental health)

- People with addictions

Coordination of Resources and Leveraging Priority

Rationale



From among nine capacity building strategies, the results of the “Lets Talk

Ending Homelessness” consultation survey showed that the community ranked

“Facilitate collaboration between local and regional government agencies,

housing and shelter providers, and health practitioners to increase the collective

capacity to provide services, build consensus on new initiatives, and enhance

support across communities” as most important. “Provide professional

development and specialized training for staff working with people who are

homeless or at-risk of homelessness” was ranked 6th, and “Develop consultation

and planning processes that are meaningful and inclusive” was ranked 8th. The

members of the Funders Table advised that this priority be allocated some

funding. While different organizations may be engaged in this activity, few

related activities are implemented at a regional level, other than that of the CAB

and CE.

28 | P a g e

Data Collection and Use Priority

Rationale




that the community ranked “Support opportunities for housing and homelessness

research and make data and information accessible to the sector” lowest out of

nine options. Members of the Funders Table recommended that this priority be

allocated some funding. It was identified as a gap in the regional Housing First

system, and was not anticipated to be funded by the members of the Funders

Table during the coming program period. This priority is considered a funding

gap as no other regional funders of homeless services and facilities indicate that

this priority will be funded at the regional level during the coming period. The

CAB determined that funds should be allocated each year in anticipation that it

will be an ongoing need.The region conducts a triennial point in time count of

the street and sheltered homeless population, and would require support from

HPS to implement the next count in 2017. At a project level, investment in this

activity will be important for tracking outcomes of non-Housing First clients for

community – defined indicators and targets.

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