New name, same struggle: meeting the need for supportive housing

Larry Newman

After reporting on the problem of renoviction in Ottawa for the last few years, I recently became interested in another housing issue: supportive housing for the homeless. The first place I looked Ð inspired by the good words our city councillor, Stéphanie Plante, had to say about itÑwas Options Housing (formerly known as Options Bytown), which has been around since 1989. After doing some online research, I visited their headquarters at an apartment building on 380 Cumberland Street, corner of George Street, and waited until someone keyed a number into the keypad near the door. I followed him into the five-storey brick building, introduced myself to the receptionist, and looked around.

Nothing very unusual here on the ground floor except for the signs and artwork on the walls. Catharine Vandelinde, the executive director, confirmed that the art was painted by residents and showed me around the building.  The unoccupied apartments were clean, uncluttered, and unfurnished.  Options Housing has furniture and kitchen equipment in storage, waiting for a tenant to arrive and declare his/her needs.

What does it take for a potential client to rent an apartment here?  All applications for housing at Options Housing must be made through the Social Housing Registry.  This is an Ottawa organization which has created eligibility requirements for subsidized housing in the city.  All Options Housing tenants must meet the criteria set out in provincial Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) rules.  Aside from RGI, there are eight basic requirements to qualify for subsidized housing.   See https://housingregistry.ca/the-process/#eligibility

However, beyond the basics is the key housing registry requirement called Local Priority Access Status-Homeless (LPAS).  “You qualify if you are living in an emergency shelter for the homeless or living rough with no shelter (e.g., living in cars, tents, makeshift shelters). Staying temporarily with friends or family does not qualify.” If homeless priority status is granted, the applicant’s name is placed on the lists of all city housing providers, about 50 in all. At this point, a support person will assess whether the applicant meets Options Housing’s criteria.

While the housing registry requirements are necessary, access to an apartment does not immediately follow.  From the same Ottawa city site: “There are approximately 10,000 households on the Centralized Wait List for social housing.  Wait times for social housing in Ottawa can be up to five (5) years or more.”

Options Housing owns four buildings housing RGI tenants: two on Gilmour Street, one on Stewart Street, and their headquarters at 380 Cumberland. Aside from buying buildings and renting apartments to homeless people, the organization has a program called Housing First.  This program’s staff and volunteers assist homeless people in finding a home.

Housing First uses an “approach to ending homelessness that centres on quickly moving people experiencing homelessness into independent and permanent housing and then providing additional supports and services as needed.”

People with a history of homelessness often do not know how to approach finding a home, negotiating with a landlord, and caring for the home.  The Housing First Team knows the landlords of most of the approximately 50 properties that have agreed to take RGI tenants.  The team can represent the tenant as well as inform the tenant of the role and responsibilities of both the tenant and the landlord. These specialists help with practical assistance, coaching, obtaining furniture, as well as providing the oil for the machinery of finding and living in rental housing again.  Housing First is proud that “88% of our Housing First clients remain stably housed after 24 months.”

Combining Options Housing’s approach of buying and renting housing as well as supporting homeless people in their quest to navigate a responsible route to tenancy has resulted in nearly 300 homeless people now living in permanent housing in Ottawa.

Stay tuned in subsequent issues for more about the story of finding homes for the current 10,000 people on the Centralized Wait List for social housing in Ottawa.