Homeless report ready for council

Wayne Moore -Jun 1, 2009 CASTANET:
A much anticipated draft report on ending homelessness in Kelowna has finally been released. The report outlines a number of strategies aimed at ending homelessness in the city within 10 years. Among the strategies outlined in the draft report are initiatives to provide permanent housing to people as quickly as possible, address the root causes of homelessness through housing, income and supports, increase the community capacity to end homelessness and to prevent people from becoming homeless. "This report is to create a committee of council to carry out a clear action strategy based on the draft Ending Homelessness plan. This report is the continuation of work that has been underway for quite some time," Community Planning Manager, Theresa Eichler told City Council Monday. "The intent of the committee is to come forward with very specific actions and implementation of those actions so we just don't have another document on the shelf." Despite not receiving a full copy of the report in time for Monday's meeting, Council did agree to adopt Terms of Reference to establish a Council Committee to End Homelessness and provide that committee with $1,700 to cover routine expenses.

"This is an issue that has been perking away without having come to council to be enshrined within our committee system. We need to give it our support and provide the leadership," says Councillor, Robert Hobson. "I very much support the direction the committee is going. I am very much a supporter of housing first as a solution to a lot of social issues. We have to achieve that." The budget for the initial report was approximately $100,000. Close to half of that was obtained through private donations while the provincial and federal governments also contributed. Hobson, also Chair of the Regional District, says regional funds were also contributed. "I think some of the regional partners will want to be involved in the next step of the process. We really need a regional solution to housing. I know the committee doesn't want to take on the world, but housing has to be dealt with at a regional level." While the committee will report back to council on a regular basis, Eichler says it's not clear how long they will need to bring back a final report. "Once their work is complete, they will end."

View complete draft report. (This is a PDF File)