‘Housing first’ model for homelessness finds more support from Manitoba politicians

Homelessness is a pervasive issue that persists for many communities from coast to coast to coast. When it comes to addressing the issue here in Manitoba, municipal and provincial leaders are looking to success in other jurisdictions as a framework to tackle chronic homelessness.

Last September, Mayor Scott Gillingham travelled to Houston, Texas, to see first-hand how the city has managed to reduce the number of homeless individuals by two-thirds since 2012.

“What really struck me in Houston is that they have one coordinated plan,” Gillingham explained. “All the levels of government, front-line non-profit agencies, the business community has one plan, a coordinated plan.”

Gillingham believes the city is in a good position to take significant steps forward, but notes a persistent issue is the lack of low-barrier housing.

“We have some, but we don’t have enough,” notes Gillingham. “We have to keep doing our part as the City of Winnipeg to get more housing built and get more housing built quicker.”

While Gillingham was the first to visit Houston, he wasn’t the first to view the housing-first initiative as a solution. Back in 2022 the Manitoba NDP, while in the role of official Opposition, announced if elected they would investigate the model.

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Manitoba Housing Minister Bernadette Smith, who recently led a delegation to Houston two weeks ago, points out that besides increasing the amount of low-barrier housing, Manitoba, and by extension Winnipeg, needs to bring as many support organizations on board as possible.

“How do we really pull all the systems together to make sure that we’re supporting in the right way, and diverting people from the systems,” said Smith. “I think that’s something we do really well in Manitoba in Winnipeg, is we look at the person, the people and we all have good intentions.”

The Houston model is far from flawless according to Shauna MacKinnon, chair and professor of urban and inner-city studies with the Univesity of Winnipeg. She believes politicians here at home have already taken far more progressive steps towards addressing chronic homelessness.

“Expansion of social housing, increasing supports for people, wraparound supports for those people once they’re housed, doing things like having better tenant protections,” MacKinnon explained. “These are all issues that we need to focus on to have a more comprehensive approach, and they don’t really do that in Houston.”

Tessa Blaikie-Whitecloud, CEO of Siloam Mission, says her organization is ready to work with all levels of government on this issue.

“People experience homelessness when every other system in some way has failed them,” said Whitecloud. “We really need to make sure we build an inclusive and caring community space within that housing so people can find belonging, and from belonging, thrive.”

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