By Sheldon Spackman

Additional Funding

Council approves additional funding allocations for homelessness initiatives

Jun 16, 2020 | 11:09 AM

Red Deer city council has approved revised funding streams containing extra funding aimed at tackling homelessness in the community.

The new allocations recommended by the Community Housing Advisory Board (CHAB) affect 2020-2024 funding for both the provincial Outreach and Support Services Initiative (OSSI), and federal Reaching Home program.

City officials say the additional funding has been made available by various provincial and federal supports announced during the COVID-19 pandemic, with provincial carry-over funds from the 2019-2020 funding cycle also included.

Recommendations on the allocation of these additional resources were made following a review of the Community Housing and Homelessness Integrated Plan (CHHIP) and ongoing conversations with local service providers about the current needs.

The first recommendation affects the Urban Aboriginal Voices society (UAVS) – Housing domain to discuss the distribution of $190,000 from the Reaching Home – Indigenous (COVID-19 funding) and determine the allocation in the areas of Innovation in Housing Engagement and Prevention.

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The second set of allocations endorsed by city council relate to OSSI programs where permanent supportive housing, intensive case management, rapid rehousing, transitional youth housing, coordinated entry, youth coordinated entry, and Indigenous coordinated entry will all see government top-ups and or carry-overs totaling $615,193 in extra funding.

The Reaching Home program will see $235,000 in additional funding for its homelessness prevention and coordinated entry initiatives, while Indigenous programming funding allocations will see a boost of $247,200 for the Indigenous Rapid Rehousing, and Indigenous ICM programs.

Finally, Community Capacity and Innovation (CCI) funding will see an allocation boost of $65,356 for external innovation and training funds.

Administration fees for these programs will also see extra funding support of an 8 per cent increase for OSSI’s funding stream to $306,800 in 2020/21, a 7.5 per cent increase of $65,453 for Reaching Home – Designated funding in 2020/21, and $22,195 or 5 per cent increase for Reaching Home – Indigenous funding in 2020/21.