Homelessness Prevention Program Investment Plan - Issue Report

Report To: Program Planning Committee

From: Lori Clark, Director of Integrated Social Services (A)

Date: April 27, 2022

Re: Homelessness Prevention Program Investment Plan Issue Report

Purpose

To provide the Board with information on the 2022-23 Homelessness Prevention Program Investment Plan.

Background

Staff provided an update at the March Board meeting regarding funding for the 2022-23 fiscal year, including details on the redesign of homelessness prevention and supportive housing programs, an extension to the Social Services Relief Fund (SSRF) and an update on the next phase of the National Housing Strategy investments.

The ministry is consolidating the Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative (CHPI), Home for Good and the Strong Communities Rent Supplement Program into one flexible Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP), beginning April 1, 2022.  

The HPP aims to address chronic homelessness across the province and will provide greater flexibility to support a wide range of homelessness prevention and supportive housing initiatives.  The funding will also provide the necessary flexibility to fund capital projects and provide longer-term rental assistance as appropriate.

HPP is administered under a service agreement between the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and each service manager. Service managers are provided with funding and flexibility to offer programs and services to meet the objectives and outcomes of HPP.

Investment Plan

Service managers are required to submit an annual investment plan to the ministry. The ministry reviews and approves investment plans from a financial and program perspective to ensure that the plans follow the HPP Guidelines. 

The investment plan requires staff to forecast and outline spending HPP funds in the upcoming fiscal year, across all categories.  There are opportunities to adjust planned expenditures based on community need.

The following categories have been included in our Investment Plan:

1.  Community Outreach and Support Services

Refers to services and supports such as community outreach and food security programs as well as case management and referrals for people on By-Name lists (BNL).  Locally this includes support to foodbanks and to community partners engaged in BNL referrals.

2.  Emergency Shelter Solutions

Refers to expenses directly related to operating and staffing emergency shelters.  This funding will support isolation needs for clients with COVID-19. 

3.  Housing Assistance 

Refers to short-term/emergency assistance non-financial housing assistance and long-term housing assistance (such as rent supplements and housing allowances) for people not receiving ongoing support services which would be considered supportive housing under HPP.  This funding will support direct shelter subsidies, assistance with rental/utility arrears and first/last months’ rent.

Allocation $838,600

Services and activities will continue to prioritize keeping seniors in their own homes and continuing to provide a direct shelter subsidy to assist those on the Community Housing wait list maintain their current accommodations without accessing their basic needs.  As a result of being in receipt of the direct shelter subsidy, clients are removed from the waitlist.

The Homelessness Prevention Program will be monitored closely to assess the number of households accessing benefits. Partnerships will continue with Canadian Mental Health Association to provide on-site supports to prevent homelessness and to work with the most vulnerable throughout our district. 

Staff will continue to take part in the Rapid Mobilization Table in Espanola and Sudbury East. Community partnerships will continue to support transitional housing supports for people with Mental Health and Addictions needs.

Continued support will be provided to our local foodbanks throughout the district, food security challenges have been identified in all parts of the district. Supports are also provided to local foodbanks to expand services to Youth and Homeless individuals in more remote areas.

All client groups (youth, people transitioning from provincial institutions, people who are chronically homeless and Indigenous peoples) that live within the Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB's catchment area will be eligible for HPP funding. 

Staff continue to advertise this program with all the community partners in the district as well as various Manitoulin-Sudbury DSB networks (Manitoulin Sudbury Network for Children and Families, Espanola Community Provider Network, Sudbury East Community Provider Network, Manitoulin Collaborative, Local Service Provider Networks within the child care sector etc.). Partnerships have been established with Health Sciences North and Manitoulin Family Resources to support clients in crisis outside of our office hours and support isolation needs of clients with Covid-19.

The committee established to support the BNL will help staff engage with partners who can provide wrap-around services to priority populations including youth, Indigenous peoples and people transitioning from provincial institutions. 

Conclusion

We currently await the Ministry’s respond to our HHP Investment Plan. Staff are recommending that the Board approve the HPP Investment Plan totaling $838,600, as submitted to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.