City concluding community engagement on housing and homelessness plan

“We’ve packaged the information, the consultants have done the analysis on it and they’ve paired it down to the major points,” she explains. “What we’ve done today is present that back to the community and make sure that we’ve got it right. There’s a validation opportunity here for citizens to say you’re missing a big thing or you’ve got it right or just give them one last time to have influence before it goes to council.”

Hercina says a renewed approach is needed to help address homelessness in Red Deer.

“The focus of the renewal is to build on the successes of the past but to meet the changing needs,” says Hercina. “Five years ago and 10 years ago when those original plans were written, they met the needs of the community then but our community has changed. We’ve got the addition of the opioid crisis in our community, we’ve got increases in transient populations and our population has continued to grow, so the need in the programs has shifted.”

In addition, Hercina points out the city’s affordable housing stock is also far too low.

“There’s hope that the private sector and development community may actually want to come to the table and have discussions differently than they have in the past,” she exclaims. “We’ve got federal housing grant money, capital money available for our developers to build. Those are all things that didn’t exist before that we’re now able to have different conversations around.”

Hercina says the City of Red Deer receives approximately $3.8 million from the Province each year to help address homelessness annually, in addition to roughly $500,000 each year from the Federal government.

“Those funds right now are currently soley supporting the support systems,” adds Hercina. “We talk about case management, we talk about rent subsidies and we talk about a coordinated intake process and a coordinated access system. All of those things are what we use those funds for.”

Moving forward, priorities noted in the CHHIP currently include wrap-around supports, truth and reconciliation, housing options, early intervention and coordination, as well as communication and leadership.

“The priorities come in a few different layers,” she explains. “Definitely culturally appropriate programming, as we’ve seen a lot where our Indigenous population is over represented in our homeless system in Red Deer and the youth. So there’s specific priorities around them, increased housing stock, as well as reprioritizing the complexity that is being funded which requires more permanent, supportive housing which is inclusive of on-site 24/7 supports.”

Hercina says the opioid crisis is also a major influencer on homelessness.

“When there is substance abuse happening, especially with opioids and meth which are both common in our community, there’s often unpredictable behaviours,” she explains. “Those unpredictable behaviours partnered with mental illness, partnered with economic challenges, often mean people are left without income and without housing.”

However, Hercina notes about a 95 per cent success rate for those housed in a ‘housing first’ program in Red Deer, but noting the growing complexity of what is needed.

“We don’t have enough of the programs to meet the current need,” she declares. “It’s a similar thing we see with our shelter, we don’t have a purpose-built shelter, so we don’t have the adequate space there. Once we get established with right-sizing in our community of what our social infrastructure needs are, we’ll be in a way better space.”

Hercina estimates 1,300 affordable housing spaces are what’s needed in Red Deer.

“What that represents are those currently experiencing homelessness, as well as those that are likely to experience homelessness because of the ratio they’re paying for housing right now compared to their income,” she exclaims. “We definitely need another 100 permanent, supportive housing spots which are community would currently understand as what we call The Buffalo. The report is going to suggest 100 new, plus the existing 39.”

Hercina says her main message is that nobody can tackle Red Deer’s homelessness issue alone.

“It’s going to take all the major systems, all levels of government and we need to work together and not divide to resolve our social wellness,” claims Hercina. “Housing and homelessness is one portion of it. Mental wellness and social well-being overall, cultural appropriateness, those things have to happen together for our community to see a significant change.”

Following the open house, City Council’s CHHIP Ad Hoc Committee, along with the consultant hired for the project, will be developing a draft plan.

That plan will be presented to City Council for consideration this fall.

AR/SS

by Sheldon Spackman

City concluding community engagement on housing and homelessness plan

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