Report #2

Stakeholder Interviews:

Housing Crisis Needs in Dartmouth-Cole Harbour

“Dartmouth is its own community and that is where they want to be. The pieces are here to help address the problem”.

September 11, 2018

The Affordable Housing Association of is conducting research to help Dartmouth-Cole Harbour assess the need for a crisis-housing centre and/or appropriate responses to address homelessness. Report #2 lists the comments from 15 stakeholders and inputs to 7 questions.

1 WHAT AREAS OF DARTMOUTH ARE YOU MOST FAMILIAR WITH/DOES YOUR WORK OCCUR IN? Highway 111 and east to Cole Harbour Main Street, Dartmouth Downtown Dartmouth, Dartmouth East (Districts 5 and 3) Downtown Dartmouth Canal system in Dartmouth Downtown Dartmouth Holly House, Dartmouth; provincial and federal facilities in Burnside and Truro; Nehiley House, Halifax Dartmouth North and Caledonia Rd., some Woodside, some Woodlawn They come to Margaret House from all over… we plan for 100 every day and usually get 80-90. There is increasing demand. We used to serve 1800 meals per month, now we serve 3,000 meals per month. They mainly come from Dartmouth, but some come from Halifax. Woodside – clients come from anywhere. Dartmouth North and Alderney Gate library branches 80% of clients are located in Dartmouth, mainly in Dartmouth North where the most affordable housing is. But also some in Woodside and in Windmill Road area. We built a supportive housing project 31 years ago in North End Dartmouth. It has 24 single units and tenancies range from 1-25 years. The model is based on rent-geared-to-income. Downtown Dartmouth Downtown Dartmouth and Woodside North end Dartmouth 2 WHERE AND HOW OFTEN DO YOU ENCOUNTER STREET INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS IN YOUR CAPACITY?

2 Both Tacoma Drive plazas Weekly, about a dozen individuals, at two plazas on Tacoma Drive. They stay in Shubie Park, Albro Lake, Burnside and watershed area. Every day – King, Ochterloney, Canal and Portland Streets. Tacoma Drive and Dartmouth waterfront. Daily, in Downtown Dartmouth – they are part of the fabric of the community. Some are camping in Shubie Park, otherwise: Downtown, Alderney Park – no contact or evidence of panhandling in the immediate vicinity of the Canal (i.e. Fairbanks Centre)… some stay across from the old Canal Interpretive Centre. A couple per week who are homeless… 1/3 are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Most have an address, even if they are couch surfing for the purposes of obtaining income assistance Daily… our clients are everywhere. Most criminalized folk are generally left out of the homelessness discussions. Daily… sometimes people are invited in for a good meal, especially those who are panhandling. We give out sleeping bags when needed. Some are staying in the small park at the back of Sobeys on Wyse Rd. Daily at both library branches. At Dartmouth North branch, many have apartments but are in extreme poverty; at Alderney Gate, more seem at risk of homelessness. Not really, however, many young mothers have already been street involved, but they are ‘housed’ when they are referred, be that in correction facilities or shelters. We do not have case / outreach workers – our referrals come from other providers. We do not have emergency or crisis housing for young mothers. Every day. That's mainly because my office is located in a shelter. Every day in Metro Halifax. We see about 25 regulars every day at Alderney Landing. They are part of our market ‘culture’ – but they are not allowed to panhandle at the market. They are at or around Alderney Landing at 6 am when we open, until 7 pm when the building closes. In the morning, they are lined up to use the public washrooms. All are at the Market on Saturdays; they are after free liquor samples, food; they like the crowds and it is a place where they can blend in and be part of the community. More interaction on the patrol side. There are few ‘calls’ involving street people and I don’t have a whole lot of interaction. The downtown business / community is generally receptive to street people. Some provide food. My interaction is mainly with Margaret’s House – I am there 2 times per week. There is some pan-handling around Portland and King, but they are not

3 causing any issues. I am dealing with youth-at-risk… 4 projects in my area include Ray Allen Centre (co-ed); Johnson House (female only); Hawthorne House (male only) and Brockwell House (female only). There are a wide range of issues, one being that when they turn 18 they are on their own. Some end up at Phoenix House. At least a couple of times a week. 5-6 people are either homeless or experience serious housing problems. 3 DO YOU THINK THESE STREET INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS ARE HOMELESS? WHAT INDICATIONS ARE YOU BASING YOUR ASSESSMENT OF HOMELESSNESS ON? Not all are homeless. I ask them if they are homeless. They say they are staying in Turning Point or Salvation Army shelters. I have personal knowledge of individual circumstances – about 80% are homeless. They know Dartmouth and don’t want to spend the night in Halifax. Some are homeless, but that's based only on my dialogue with police. Many are from Main St. area which has been traditionally a lower income area. Some are homeless; some are precariously housed. I know that by talking to them. About 5-10% of those we serve food to are homeless, currently about 7, but could be more. Most live in rooming houses, but increasingly we see seniors living in subsidized housing. We know they are homeless by direct contact with them. Some come from Metro Turning Point or from St. Mathews Church. Criminalized folk are more invisible than panhandlers. Many are staying in shelters or couch surfing. Others are in prison: they have been released but have nowhere to go, so they are waiting in prison for housing. We have ‘inside’ clients (those that are in transition and stay with us) and ‘outside’ clients – those that we visit elsewhere. 50% or our clients are technically homeless – they have no address and nowhere to go. 1/3 of the people we see are homeless or at risk of homelessness- that is based on my experience and my participation in Point In Time research. Panhandlers have apartments but are living in extreme poverty. Dartmouth’s issue with homelessness is more hidden than in Halifax, where shelters and other services exist. All women in the YWCA WISH program are homeless (shelters, jail, couch surfing). Many others are precariously housed. Only certain that 1-2 are homeless, but 6-7 are waiting every morning for the library to open. We know that by speaking with them. Based on clothing and behaviour (mental health issues?) staff often wonder what their living conditions are like. Not many bring their possessions to the library.

4 100% of those being referred are homeless. We use the Canadian Observation on Homelessness definition, which addresses housing that is not adequate, suitable or affordable. Our clients meet chronic (6 months or more) and episodic (3 or more experiences in the last year). Based on my personal knowledge, some are homeless, some are not. We should never assume that people we see on the streets are homeless and that, if they are, that they want housing. Many have had negative experiences with being unwanted, evicted and have lost their possessions. Some are homeless because of my personal knowledge. For the rest, where do they go when Alderney Landing closes and where do they come from every morning? They are asked if they need food and the vendors will provide food are always supportive. Sometimes I will ask Noggins for a bag of apples and get those handed out. I closely watch the liquor samples on Saturdays. Alderney Landing is a gathering place, especially in the winter. Many have addictions issues, we also see bottle collectors. 30% may have stable housing and the rest are facing varying degrees of housing issues and housing risk. By observation – we also have dialogue with all who participate in our programs; most will tell us if they are homeless. 4 WHAT DOES THE STREET INVOLVED POPULATION LOOK LIKE IN DARTMOUTH? (APPROXIMATE AGE, GENDER, RACE) All ages, there are some women, at least one. All ages, from 18 to mid-60s. They are mostly male and mostly white – no immigrants or other cultures. They are 90% men and about 90% white. Why ask about race? Anyone with a mental health illness or addiction can qualify. They are generally not ‘loners’. They are generally non-transient and come downtown to socialize. Generally white, 30-60 years of age. Mostly men but a couple of females, recently, one Asian woman. 40% of incarcerated folk re-entering society have mental health issues They are generally middle-aged (40-60) and mainly male, but there are an increasing number of females. I’m estimating 60% male. Most can’t work and can’t claim a pension. 30-40% are African Nova Scotian from Dartmouth-Cole Harbour-Preston and indigenous. Some of our indigenous clients don’t disclose they are indigenous. Our clients are 18-80 years of age. We have an aging prison population. All of our clients are women or identify as transgendered women. They are from all races, all cultures. Many have mental health issues and other disabilities.

5 80% of the people we feed are men, but there are an increasing number of women, perhaps 30% now. Several women and couples are coming from subsidized / seniors housing. There are more African NS guests than ever. More and more seniors are coming from subsidized seniors housing (58+). There are more younger people during the summer and they are more likely to be homeless. We serve food to the occasional family, but for families the Dartmouth North Food Centre is playing an important. Our youngest guest is 16. Our oldest guest is 93. At Alderney Gate there are quite a few seniors and also at-risk youth, and mainly male. They are looking for social interaction. At Dartmouth North branch, there are more visible minorities (African NS, indigenous) and mainly female, and there seem be more addiction / extreme poverty issues in Dartmouth North. There are more young mothers at Dartmouth North branch. The largest demand for DVD lending is at Dartmouth North branch… those that take out a large number of DVDs (up to 60 at a time) do not have cable or internet. We put out a box of knitted scarves, hats and mits in the winter and they are always gone quickly. 100% of the clients at SHYM and WISH are women; they are 16-24 at SHYM and 19 and over at WISH, and up to 50-60 years of age, with some trans-gendered women. 80% are white with some African NS and indigenous women (the indigenous women do not self-identify as indigenous). Most end up in Halifax because there are no shelters in Dartmouth. They are in the 35-42 year age range. Since we are a men’s shelter, that is the primary gender. African NS and Indigenous people are over-represented. The % of those who are gender variant is higher than we think. We see a wide range of ages, from 16 to late 80s. In Dartmouth, I have seen street involved people at the bus shelter, Wyse Rd. median near the bridge and sometimes in North End Dartmouth. In Dartmouth, they are younger, maybe early 20s, and also 40-60 year old men, mainly Caucasian, some bi- racial. In Halifax, there seems to be more diversity – a wide range of ages, Indigenous and African NS folk. There are many women at risk and many that are ‘hidden.’ There are a large number of families at risk, they are also ‘hidden’ but since we introduced our family program a year ago, we are getting 5-12 referrals per week, and some are from North Dartmouth. All races, mainly men aged 20 to 45 but some older ones. Our maintenance worker is empathetic – we have seen prostitutes who are addicted and who have clearly experienced violence, but main issues are drugs (not marijuana) and alcohol. Sometimes we need to involve the police. A number come from low income housing on Alderney Drive – they are not bad people, they just have problems, mainly addictions. They are not thieves or pickpockets. 18-60 years. 60/40 male / female. Caucasian with some Indigenous, very few African Nova Scotians. All ages, infants to 90+. We mainly see single men and women (ages 40-60). They are on income assistance or Pension – some have no source of income. Diverse – mainly Caucasian, but also African NS, Indigenous, Syrian and Pakistani. Disabled and

6 transgendered folks. 5 IF YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR INTERACTIONS WITH STREET INVOLVED PEOPLE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE THEIR MAIN NEEDS? A place to sleep in the afternoon and get out of the public eye. Some can be heavily medicated and there is no available safe spot for them. If they are chronic homeless people, then they want to avoid the drug and addiction traps associated with shelters. They also need food – the current shelters don’t provide enough adequate food. Many need an address to access programs. Longer stays in a more advanced shelter environment. There is a need for more affordable public housing. They are attached to Dartmouth; Dartmouth is its own community and that is where they want to be. The pieces are here to help address the problem. Mental health services. Supports to move along the spectrum of self-actualization. They all have something to give and something to do. A space is needed for them to inter-act and help give them a sense of belonging. The seniors’ centre is running an open Wednesday afternoon program… that kind of thing. Money is the main need. Better community-based mental health supports. How about an annual guaranteed income? They need a place to live that is geared to their income. Food safety and security is an issue, especially in rooming houses. Mini fridges should be mandatory in rooming houses. We can send food ‘home’ but how will it be kept? The shelter cost allowance is too low. We need to support their dignity… that's what they need. People are desperately looking for affordable housing. They won’t find it on $535 shelter cost allowance (or $300 if that is clawed back due to employment). They need access to doctors, mental health services and better and more comprehensive addiction services. They need food and more supportive housing. Money. There are not enough local services in Dartmouth. Healthcare and affordable housing. Bus passes and addiction services (at Doubletree) are new and welcome! Housing supports with safe affordable housing. We are having great success with the Housing First approach. They need supportive housing or transitional housing. We are lacking a facility that provides laundry, washrooms and proper nutrition. People are looking for money. There are some disagreements on the street. There seem to be more mental health needs as the Alderney Branch is located near the community mental health services, methodone clinic and community services.

7 Safe (clean, well-maintained) affordable housing is needed. Access to health services – doctors and medication – is needed. Financial supports are needed – the minimum wage and shelter cost allowances are too low. Finally those experiencing homelessness need more understanding and empathy from the community. They are the experts at what they need – the needs vary because homelessness looks different for different individuals, but the need: safety, food (many are hungry, many are using food banks in order to help pay rent); healthcare, warmth; attention and ‘contact’… they need money and housing, clothing, employment (for those who are able) and mental health supports. Generally they need our support systems to be different than they currently are. Money, cigarettes and food, in that order. Better addiction supports and services are needed. Safer, cleaner housing (deal with bedbugs). Better supports for seniors are needed. They need to be looked after. I think you need to divide the question into 2 parts (1) Those who have accepted that they have inconsistent housing (2) Those who don’t necessarily want inconsistent housing. (1) Those who accept their housing situation need access to basic supports (food, health, warmth). (2) Their biggest need would be finding stable housing. They may need better access to housing support groups and / or the housing support groups may need more capacity and capability to respond and provide appropriate housing supports. We need a shelter with soup kitchen in Dartmouth along with housing and associated supports. Dartmouth needs similar services and facilities as in Halifax. The shelter needs to help stabilize people until they can become housed or stabilized with other supports. 6 IN YOUR OPINION WHAT WOULD AN APPROPRIATE INTERVENTION/SOLUTION FOR THE STREET INVOLVED PEOPLE IN DARTMOUTH? An address, access to employment opportunities and mental health supports. A community meeting on the topic would be useful for Main Street businesses & residents. Needs to be flexible, based on individual needs, which can be complex. A team approach focused on individual needs. Housing is a basic need to help resolve other needs. Some are trying to raise money to get first and last month’s rent… their homelessness is temporary – housing dislocation. Emergency, health, addiction services and social service supports need to be better coordinated. Soup kitchens and shelters should be better coordinated. Need access to appropriate food. Approach in Dartmouth should address individual needs, but there are summer / winter differences involved. There are serious questions about HRM's public safety strategy and the transformational role libraries are being asked to play. Police need to have access to a safe place for those in crisis. Lockers needed, 10-15 rooms. Turning Point used to be a men’s shelter, now it is a harm reduction centre.

8 Downtown Dartmouth is pursuing a social worker / navigator to help complement work by the Dartmouth Public Good Society. More supportive housing is needed. Safety and security are priorities. Better coordinate mental health services… but note some ‘choose’ to live outside the system. Investment in people is needed. Social housing is needed, however, some like Tawak Housing do not have enough financial support. 90% of the stock of rooming houses in HRM have been lost since 1995 due to social, economic and regulatory factors. This has been documented by AHANS and Dal School of Planning; 151 rooming houses in 1995 have been reduced to 17 in 2016. More resources need to go into transitional housing. People need a ‘place to heal’ if they have been incarcerated or hospitalized for extended periods. They need a place to transition. Low-income housing is needed especially for single people. Things are too expensive compared to the supports people are receiving. People need autonomy, dignity and independence. Accountability is needed for maintaining the remaining rooming houses. They are being closed or torn down for more expensive housing. The street navigator for downtown Dartmouth will be a welcome support. The network of supports is very important to maintain. Mental health supports are a community-wide need. The library offers an open community tea every Friday – it shows more spaces are needed for people to support each other and interact socially. We need continued coordination with the Public Good Society, Dartmouth North Housing Centre and Downtown Navigator to help coordinate emergency housing response. A drop in Centre is needed; a place to shower is needed. A shelter is a band-aid solution without supports – emergency apartments needed, with supports and transitional housing. Small units – Phoenix House is liked because they get their own space and privacy. Shelters aren’t good for families. Shared spaces in shelters cause lots of problems. We also need to think about single dads with kids. We need to create more affordable housing and need to re-think the way we approach housing. It needs to be “low barrier” in terms of access and approval. What are the requirements of affordable housing programs? We need more supportive housing and flexibilities that address the wait list for seniors, group homes and mental health. Supportive elements are essential in order to deal with tenancy issues. There is definitely a need in Dartmouth – the market is not addressing what the need is. Peer support and navigation are important, so is “First Voice” experience – those who have lived homelessness need to be involved in helping with interventions. Those who are living it and who have experienced it are the experts. Define what success looks like and work backwards. People need housing, not shelters. Shelters are expensive and under- funded. I think Dartmouth needs an innovative Housing First approach and address needs from there. This should be mobilized even for those who don’t meet traditional definitions (i.e. chronic, episodic). The Point in Time research will likely miss some of

9 the hidden homeless. If those who are experiencing homelessness have stable and safe housing, they many will find purpose and a place to go from there. We collectively need creativity and flexibility. The agencies need to know each other better, and that's the important part of the North Dartmouth Food Centre – networking. Lets work towards something innovative. We need to tackle the cycle of addictions with more effective treatment, also detox for alcohol. Since I don’t know where they come from when we open, and since I don’t know where they go when we close, it is hard to say other than better housing what is needed. Some type of shelter or crisis centre is probably needed. Margaret’s House is too busy for some… some aren’t using it and will pan-handle to solve their own needs for food. More capacity for the provision of food is needed in Downtown. Killam and other landlords will help i.e. with MOSH and WISH. Dartmouth needs street outreach / i.e. MOSH nursing services. We have a community health person, but they only make one visit per month. More Church involvement in Dartmouth would be useful. Many don’t want to lose the support they already have in Dartmouth and don’t want to stay in Halifax shelters. 7 IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE ON YOUR MIND ABOUT THE STREET INVOLVED POPULATION IN DARTMOUTH THAT WILL HELP US IN OUR ANALYSIS? Many people are coming from a history of mental illness, and the failed system of releasing people to the community without proper supports. Many are just waiting for the shelter in Halifax to re-open. Many are trying not to be ‘seen.’ We have to build trust with the most vulnerable people and treat everyone with respect. If there are assaults, then they are taken off the streets, otherwise panhandlers / homeless are not breaking any laws. With the exception of lacking a musical instrument, what is the difference between panhandling and busking? The panhandlers are courteous and like to mind their own business. But they need money. Many issues relate to the need for an address… these can be triggered by domestic disputes and need for short-stay options. Dartmouth needs a housing crisis centre with coordinated supports. There is an effort to better coordinate Dartmouth’s needs (i.e. Transit) through a group called the “Dartmouth Thing” which has brought Dartmouth areas, including the Prestons together. They should be involved in any presentation or community meeting on this topic. Better community awareness of the issues needed. What will come along with a shelter if that is the direction? What supports will be included? Any crisis housing or shelter needs to be tied to transitional housing. We need to be proactive, not reactive. Evictions management is a big need and there is always a crisis at the end of each month. What happened to 250 Homes? Highly innovative project between NSHA and landlords that needs to be brought back… but it was simply eliminated. Government collaboration is needed; impacts from government decisions need to be better communicated and better understood. I regret NPOs are being forced to compete for scarce

10 resources; they need more capacity. How will we collaborate as a community? Put positive relationships first. The community needs to be less judgemental about people’s circumstances. We need wrap around services that reach out to others. Transportation is an issue – so many appointments need to be navigated when women are released from prison. We need… love. Every winter, someone will not go to a shelter in Halifax. They will not cross the bridge. What is the role of the Fire Station, if supported by community volunteers? Role of the library and Alderney Landing. There are temperature issues (summer, winter) in rooming houses. ‘Hanging out’ is not the issue. There is a need for sleeping and a place to take a shower. YMCA has just rented space in downtown Dartmouth – it is a support office to address trafficking of women. We have just learned of a room & boarding house at Immaculate Conception Manse. SHYM could use 2 times the number of units we now have; WISH could use 4 times the number of units that program operates with. There seems to be a lot of housing dislocation – people being ‘kicked out’ for any number of reasons. Where do they go? Supports are needed for those facing crisis / emergency situation. Relationships and partnerships between a wide number of groups is needed. People in Dartmouth have pride in their community. Solutions have to be community based; Dartmouth-based. Shelters are a last resort. Dartmouth should focus on diversion and early intervention and strive to eliminate the need for the last resort Nova Scotia is behind the 8-ball on addictions. More detox units are needed. We need to support those providing promote housing supports and promote collaboration. The shelter need in Dartmouth is for emergency housing, with supports to help people stabilize. The Dartmouth North Food Centre with some crisis housing is an interesting model. A similar model exists in Regent Park where a Food Centre, Health Centre and crisis housing are found in one building.

11 List of Stakeholders Warren Wesson Affordable Housing Advocate Frequent speaker at Regional Council and Harbour East Marine Drive Community Council meeting Graziella Grbac Executive Director, A Community Improvement District (CID) leading the Main St. Community Improvement District transformation of our community into a suburban village that blends commercial and residential opportunities. By putting people first, we’re creating the freedom to develop friendly and open spaces in a collaborative way, and, an inclusive and sustainable community where spaces and neighbours are welcoming and connected. Jeff Brown Community Police Officer, I help solve problems. Tim Rissesco Executive Director, The Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission delivers Downtown Dartmouth Business a wide range of programs to promote growth and Commission development in Downtown Dartmouth. The Commission is a conduit for input into Downtown Dartmouth improvement projects. The Commission serves its members through planning, development, coordination, liaison, publications and advocacy. Doug Conrad Executive Director, Manages 9 provincial properties that comprise the Commission Shubenacadie Canal, as well as the Fairbanks Centre and original Interpretive Centre in Downtown Dartmouth. Heather MacKenzie / Housing Coordinator / Executive Director, The Elizabeth Fry Society Mainland Nova Scotia works Emma Halpern Elizabeth Fry Society with hundreds of women and girls each year to address the root causes of criminalization. Our dedicated staff devote every day to improving the lives of women and girls in our province through comprehensive housing supports, innovative programming initiatives and justice system reform.

12 Karen Gaudie FOOD Coordinator, Located in downtown Dartmouth, Feeding Other of Margaret’s House Dartmouth (F.O.O.D.) Society is a registered charity whose mission is to provide a free nutritious hot meal to adults in need within the Halifax Regional Municipality Darcy Gillis Housing Support Worker, Responds to at‐risk and difficult to house individuals who Dartmouth Housing Help have significant challenges in obtaining and retaining housing stability. Assists with: Housing search; Connecting to other services such as medical, income assistance, legal, social, vocational, etc. Ongoing, stable support when issues arise in housing; Mediating tenancy issues with existing relations. Krista Dunn Housing Manager Provides supportive housing to 16-24 year old single YWCA: SHYM & WISH mothers (SHYM) / all 9 units are 2 bdrm… WISH provides supports for single women Janice Fiander Branch Manager Libraries continue to evolve since 1995 in response to Dartmouth North and Alderney Gate new technologies… from a ‘quiet’ atmosphere to vibrant Halifax Public Library community spaces for socialization and multiple medias. Alyssa Buchanan Housing First Intensive Case Worker Supports individuals who have been experiencing Shelter Nova Scotia / Metro Turning Point homelessness for a long period of time. Finding housing and providing supports. Sheri Lecker Executive Director Adsum House works with individuals (except single men) Adsum House and families to address a wide range of housing needs and help ensure everyone has a safe and secure home. A variety of housing models are used to respond to a variety of housing needs. Lisa Josey Farmers Market Coordinator Brings vendors to the market, incubates small business, Alderney Landing marketing to the community. The Dartmouth Farmers Market operates on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays

13 Jenna Clarke Community Police Officer Patrol calls happen every 90 seconds in HRM; Community Halifax Regional Police Policing is about spending more time with people and agencies. We try to have a consistent presence in the community, dealing with on-going, longer term problems Tammy Shields Community Action Coordinator Primarily a drop-in centre for food and community Dartmouth North Community Food Centre supports. We get 40-50 (Mondays) and 50-60 (Wednesdays) for our drop in programs. We get 100 for our Wednesday lunches; and 60-70 for our family suppers on Monday evenings. My role is to train and support our peer advocates to deal with addictions, mental health and housing needs. I also help identify community actions that are needed. The DNCFC has 6 staff and is an initiative of the Dartmouth Family Centre. We have been provided space from Sobeys to operate for 10 years. We are funded by United Way, Food Centre Canada and via many other grants and donations.

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