Homeless Strategy
Homeless Needs Assessment & Implementation Strategy
Community Education and Awareness Program
A wide range of community based service providers and agencies are working with the City of Richmond to examine the issue of homelessness. A study, to be completed in April, will provide the City, and its partners, with a better understanding of homelessness and what can be done about it. Keep checking this website for updates. The links on the left provide more information about the study.
For more information on this study, please contact Lesley Sherlock, Social Planner at 604-276-4220
About the Homeless Strategy
The City of Richmond with guidance from a Steering Group made up of representatives from a wide range of local service providers and agencies is currently undertaking a homelessness needs assessment and implementation strategy for the City.
In November 2000, The Richmond Community Services Advisory Council presented a Poverty Report Card to the City. The report highlighted the fact that despite Richmond being one of the healthiest and wealthiest communities in British Columbia there are still a number of people living in Poverty. The report indicated that in 1996, 22.9% of all families had incomes below the Low Income Cut-off, the measurement used by Statistics Canada as a poverty line. The report stimulated much discussion in the community and acted as a catalyst for an investigation for mitigating measures.
Local community advocates have reported that the 23% of families in Richmond who live under the poverty line face a number of challenges on a day-to-day basis, including finding the financial means to cover the costs of housing. The high cost of housing in Richmond (average rent $700 per month for a one bedroom) has meant that many Richmond residents have had to leave the community to find affordable accommodation elsewhere. Richmond has a diverse range of service organizations who provide advice, support and in some cases temporary accommodation for residents who suddenly find themselves homeless (such as women fleeing abusive situations, people with mental challenges, family breakups, financial troubles). Preliminary consultation with key agencies and service providers have indicated the City has a relatively small absolute homelessness problem. The key challenge for City is to tackle the issues faced by the invisible but very significant number of residents who are at risk of homelessness. One of the key purposes of the study is to find out just how many people are homeless and how many are at risk of homelessness.
The study process involves a number of inter-related components which will ensure a usable and effective strategy. The most important steps are outlined below.
- Richmond residents who are currently homeless or at risk of homelessness need to be consulted to find out the root causes of the problem.
- Local service providers need to be consulted to understand their current activities and to record what they see as the main challenges facing the community.
- A survey of the local assets needs to be undertaken with the gaps in service provision clearly identified.
- Only once the fundamental issues and challenges have been identified can the City in partnership with the community prepare a strategy which will tackle the root causes and provide a series of remedial actions for those who are currently homeless or at risk of homelessness.
- The strategy needs to investigate a range of delivery mechanisms including alternative funding sources to ensure that efforts can be sustained well into the future.
Homelessness Needs Briefing Paper
Opportunities for Community Involvement
Homelessness Needs Assessment and Strategy Final Report
Definitions
Links to Community Resources
