Homelessness weighs heavily on our city. It is an issue that we repeatedly hear about at the door when we are canvassing in Ward 4. Folks are concerned for the health and wellbeing of people experiencing homelessness, and they are frustrated with the lack of progress in getting people housed. They worry about public safety.
Everywhere in this city, folks are seeing human misery and the compromising of human dignity – it is a weight that we all carry to various degrees: that mixture of concern, heartbreak, fear, and frustration.
Having had homelessness directly impact my family, I also know that the pain and tragedy of every person living unhoused is felt by a network of family and friends who are desperately trying to find their loved ones help, relief, and safety.
As the cost of living and unemployment go up, so too does homelessness. There is very visible homelessness that might be further complicated by mental illness or addiction, and there is the hidden homelessness of people who have found temporary shelter on a friend's couch.
Sadly, what we are seeing in London is reflective of what is happening in cities and communities across the province. Currently, more than 85,000 people are homeless in Ontario - and the number is on the rise. The only bit of good news is that the rate of increase is starting to slow down - but at all levels of government more must be done.
So what do we do about it?
Support. The City must support agencies and efforts in London providing and/or building supportive housing. The recently defunded (by the provincial government) House of Hope is exactly the kind of supportive housing program that we need more of. House of Hope supports folks with the most complex health needs (often a combination of mental health, physical health, addiction, and chronic homelessness) and helps them stabilize and prepare for a return to life in the community. This program has a proven record of success. When we house folks, their health outcomes dramatically improve, and we reduce costs related to first responder services, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations.
Another great example of an innovative and collaborative approach to housing is Village SoHo, a unique partnership among six not-for-profit developers who came together to build a mixture of 700 market-rate, affordable, and supportive housing apartments on the grounds of the old Victoria Hospital.
Pressure. London must stand with municipalities across Ontario to put pressure on the provincial government to fund, and continue funding, evidence-based supportive housing strategies proven to work. Delivery of healthcare is a provincial responsibility - and many experiencing chronic homelessness face complex health care needs. The new HART HUB model is showing evidence of success. But one Hub is not enough to meet the needs we have in London. We need to support a range of programs, including those that incorporate harm reduction. Just like there are multiple roads into homelessness, there are multiple roads out of it. There is no one-size-fits all model for addressing homelessness.
Pressure must also be put on the provincial government to increase Ontario Works rates (frozen since 2018) and adopt new rent control measures to protect Ontarians from ballooning rents compounded by other significant cost-of-living increases.
Prevention. The most effective way to combat homelessness is through prevention. Lifting a person out of homelessness is much more challenging and costly than preventing homelessness in the first place. Housing loss prevention can also be accomplished by strengthening tenant rights and preventing practices such as “renovictions” and “demovictions.” In early 2027 city staff will report back to council on the feasibility of establishing a Tenant Assistance and Relocation Program. While other Ontario municipalities have adopted protections to ensure that new developments do not displace people from affordable housing, London has no such measures. Early in its new term, council will have an opportunity to take decisive action to help protect renters and ensure that intensification and new development doesn’t put people at risk of becoming unhoused.
Ultimately, the housing issue is about a lack of affordable housing stock. That word “affordable” is important to drill down into, because affordability is another huge issue impacting Londoners. And that will be the subject of my next blog.
For Ward 4,
Tom