Lack Of Homelessness In Canada

Homelessness is a significant social issue. It is a complex issue that places families and individuals at risk for poor long-term outcomes. A factor that greatly impacts this issue is the lack of affordable housing. Though the Housing First policy encourages the rapid rehousing of clients, this is hard when there is no housing available for them to secure, much less maintain. Though the Housing First policy has made services for the homeless better, it can still be improved upon. The current policies implemented in the homeless sector are focused on the visibly homeless which makes it hard for those who have living accommodations, though substandard or unsuitable, to access services.
In this brief, the following actions are recommended:
1.
It is often accompanied by mental health issues, disabilities, age, or substance abuse (Alberta Secretariat for Action on Homelessness [Alberta Secretariat], 2008). It can also be due to fleeing from a violent situation, preexisting trauma, or a lack of stable income.

Hidden Homelessness
Aside from those that live on the streets or are accessing shelters, there are some who have living arrangements but are not necessarily stable or permanent. Families may be residing in substandard or crowded living conditions because they cannot afford more adequate housing. In 2014, it was reported that about 8% of the population, or 2.3 million Canadians, had to live with family, friends, in their vehicle, or elsewhere due to a lack of accommodations (Statistics Canada, 2016; Rodrigue, 2016).
This almost encourages families and individuals to exacerbate their circumstances just so they can better their conditions by accessing services.

In 2008, the Alberta Secretariat developed “A Plan for Alberta: Ending Homelessness in 10 Years”. In this document, they introduced the Housing First Philosophy which they adopted from New York,
Due to the uniqueness of each family or client and the recent affordable housing crisis, it is hard to provide appropriate choices for them. Families either remain longer in transitional services (i.e. shelters) or they secure housing though it is not their best option.
Also, a factor that largely affects the effectiveness of this policy is the housing market. It is difficult to look for housing that is both affordable and suitable.

1. Provide Affordable Housing
There are Canadians who cannot afford to access suitable and adequate housing. Due to the increase in rent prices, families have limited options on housing, which may not meet their cultural, financial, or societal/community needs. Obtaining space for families that are not suitable for them will set them up for failure.
Government and community partners must invest more funding in providing more affordable housing to encourage families’ autonomy and choice. Also, legislation or policy must be implemented to help keep rent prices stable and accessible.

2. Develop Housing First Policies for Targeted Sub-Populations
Currently, Housing First is modeled to focus on serving single adults with mental health problems, who are chronically homeless (Katz, Zerger, & Hwang,