Media Release – October 19, 2022 – Recognize a Child Care Professional This Week

Media Release

For Immediate Release

November 24, 2022

SUPPORT FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS TO CONTINUE
DESPITE CLOSURE OF TEMPORARY HOUSING INITIATIVE

PARRY SOUND, ON: The District of Parry Sound Social services Administration Board (DSSAB) has begun the process of decommissioning the ‘Hotel Project’ which includes temporary spaces that were set up to help people experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the district.

In July of 2020, funding was made available through the Ontario Government called the Social Services Relief Fund (SSRF), as part of a COVID-19 Action Plan to Protect Vulnerable Ontarians. With these funds, the District of Parry Sound Social Services Administration Board (DSSAB) developed a temporary transitional housing program referred to as ‘The Hotel Project’ which was administered on both the East & West side of the District by the DSSAB, securing large blocks of rooms in two local hotels.

Like many other DSSAB’s in Northern Ontario, the local DSSAB has historically supported clients in need of emergency shelter with hotel stays when they found themselves experiencing homeless. These hotels have typically been spread throughout the district, presenting a significant challenge for staff and community partners looking to provide proper care and support. By housing all individuals under one common roof, the goal of the Hotel Project was to better serve those who were under-housed or experiencing homelessness in a central location, providing 'wrap-around' support by community partners in a safe, welcoming environment. It provided a place to go for many in need as the housing market and COVID-19 pandemic had made finding adequate and affordable housing a real challenge. 

In addition to DSSAB’s community relations workers, comprehensive support was also provided through strong partnerships with Community Mental Health Association (CMHA) for Muskoka-Parry Sound, the West Parry Sound Health Centre, the Nurse Practitioner-led Clinic, and the Community Paramedicine program. This monitored, secure, temporary housing initiative allowed those experiencing multiple barriers to engage with community and health supports and to develop the skills needed to seek and obtain safe and affordable housing. 

Between _____ to _____,  the Housing Stability Team was able to support and transition _____ individuals from the Hotel Project into safe, affordable and sustainable housing. 

“This program was not just about putting a roof over someone’s head,” said Rick Zanussi, Chair of the DSSAB Board. “Rather, it was about providing the support needed to help them improve their situation and move forward.”

Originally expected to run for one year back in 2020-2021, the DSSAB was successful in extending the life of this project for a second full year. However, with provincial funding now coming to an end, the project is no longer operationally viable. Those participating in the Hotel Project have been contacted by the DSSAB’s Housing Stability team and been offered _______ . The Housing Stability team will continue to work with these individuals, and maintain their information on the By-Names List to ensure support continues. The end of the program puts a spotlight on the need to find alternative solutions to address the housing needs of the community for low-income individuals and families.

“One of the challenges we face is the aging infrastructure of housing units that were downloaded to municipal service managers by the province in 1998,” said Tammy MacKenzie, Chief Administrative Officer at the DSSAB. “While the temporary funding that we received during the pandemic was well-intentioned and allowed us to think outside the box and provide temporary benefits to those in need of our services, it really was only a band-aid solution to a much larger issue of maintaining and growing our social housing stock. To create meaningful change and tackle homelessness in a more permanent way, there is a need for planned capital investments by the province for transitional, social, and supportive housing in our district.

As the Housing Service Manager for the district, the DSSAB is responsible for the administration of social housing programs and works to prevent homelessness. The DSSAB has no mandate to supply or finance market rent housing in the community. It is the service manager’s responsibility to ensure that a variety of homes and services are available for people in housing need and with low to moderate incomes. The DSSAB currently owns and operates 215 social housing units and is responsible for the funding and administration of approximately 164 social housing units owned and managed by other local non-profit providers. There are currently about 494 names on the wait-list for community housing across the District of Parry Sound. (does this include other providers?).

Rent supplements have historically been a successful way of increasing the housing stock in the district by providing subsidies for units in buildings owned by private landlords for residents who cannot afford to pay market rent. However, the housing crisis has taken its toll on this social housing program, with a trend of landlords either selling their homes for high prices or choosing to rent at high market rates without consideration for subsidized rentals. Building partnerships with landlords, developers and municipalities to support the creation of affordable units, utilizing rent subsidies and capital incentive programs continues to be a priority and a challenge for the DSSAB.

While the hotel project wraps up this month, the DSSAB’s housing stability team will continue to be out in the community, providing support to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Whether the need is food security, assistance with housing applications, or access to social assistance such as Ontario Works or Ontario Disability Support Program, the team helps clients establish connections in the community to local programs and resources.

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For more information:

JJ Blower
Communications Officer
jblower@psdssab.org
(705) 746-7777 ext. 5264