From our 2015 conference.

1. Ending Homelessness in
New Brunswick:
The Evolution toward
Housing First
NBNPHA Conference, May 8 2015
Greg Bishop, Community Entity Coordinator, Saint John Human Development Council
Jenny O’Connell, Community Development Coordinator, Saint John Human Development Council
Karolyn Martin, Coordinator, Community Action Group on Homelessness

2. What do we mean when we say we are working
to end homelessness?
- Emergency shelter use
- Prevention
- Systems response
- Community planning

3. A Look at the Numbers...
● 235,000 (or more) Canadians experienced homelessness in 2014
● 1,407 New Brunswickers stayed at an emergency shelter (2013)
● 5,502 New Brunswickers on NB Housing waitlist (2013)
● 9.9% of NB Households in Core Housing Need (2011)
● 13.8% of New Brunswickers are living in poverty (2006)
● 7.9% Provincial Rental Vacancy Rate (2014)
13,000 - 30,000 Canadians have sustained experiences of homelessness
Contributing factors:
● History of trauma
● Mental health challenges
● Addictions
● Brain injury
● Disability
● Institutionalization
● Discrimination
● Low literacy
● Etc.

4. Who is Homeless?
The majority of people who experience homelessness are Transitionally Homeless.
According to the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness:
● Less than 15% of the homeless population in Canada can be considered Chronically or Episodically homeless.
● Chronically Homeless refers to individuals who have been on the streets for a long time, potentially years.
● People who are chronically homeless represent between 2-4% of the homeless population in Canada (compared to
10% in the US).
● Episodically Homeless refers to those who move in and out of homelessness.
● Although episodically and chronically homeless individuals and families account for less than 15% of the homeless
population, their personal struggles – mental and physical health issues, addictions, legal and justice issues,
discrimination – tend to be much more severe.

5. Housing= Key to Ending Homelessness!
There are emerging opportunities for
landlords to fill their rental units with
clients who have formal supports in
place to maintain tenancy and the
opportunity to get involved with
enhancing the quality of life for their
community members.

6. What is Housing First?
Housing First has 5 Core Principles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwdq2VWavtc
Housing First has 3 key components
1) HOUSING
2) HOUSING SUPPORTS
3) CLINICAL SUPPORTS
Housing First represents a radical shift in approach to service provision & how we address homelessness.

7. The Spread of Housing First

8. How is Housing First rolling out in New
Brunswick?
Federally funded Housing First programs in:
- Fredericton
- Capital Region Mental Health and Addictions + John Howard Society
- Moncton
- YWCA Moncton
- Saint John
- Housing Alternatives
Program composition and supporting partners:
- Health Care
- Public Safety
- Housing providers
- Sun Network

9. Existing housing programs in our communities
- Organized Departure
- Peer supported housing
- Emergency Shelter’s second stage programming
- Housing programs for youth

10. Systems Planning & Coordinated Approaches
Coordinated Service Delivery to facilitate access and flow-through for best
client and system-level outcomes.
Integrated Information Management aligns data collection, reporting,
intake, assessment, referrals to enable coordinated service delivery.
Performance Management & Quality Assurance at the program and
system levels are aligned and monitored along common standards to achieve
best outcomes.
Why do we need a systems plan and/or coordinated efforts to end homelessness?
Because it’s
all connected!

11. Taking the lead in a city near(ish) you!
Fredericton’s Community Action Group on Homelessness (CAGH)
www.cagh.ca
Saint John’s Community Council on Homelessness (CCH)
www.sjhomelessness.ca
The Greater Moncton Homelessness Steering Committee (GMHSC)
www.monctonhomelessness.org
Bathurst’s Community Homeless Network
http://www.atlanticpocket.com/Community-Homeless-Network-Inc.html

12. Housing First and Landlords
Housing Agent Jim Kennedy:
“I go out to see the landlords all the
time [...] landlords like that because
in most other programs there’s no
communication at all.”
athome.nfb.ca

13. What can Housing First offer to
Landlords?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGx3f1PiutI (this video talks a lot about the radical shift in approach to service delivery
with Housing First)
- Is anyone currently working in support of a
housing program?
- What do landlords need to participate in a
housing program?