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19 | W aterloo C hronicle | T hursday,N ovem ber 18,2021 w aterloochronicle.ca COVID-19 outbreaks in shelters and other effects of the virus forced more people to sleep rough -- on sidewalks, under bridges, in encampments -- making homelessness more visi- ble. People experiencing homelessness were dispro- portionately impacted and five times more likely to die of COVID-19. Stephen Gaetz, director of the Canadian Observato- ry on Homelessness, asks "What if we managed the pandemic like we treat homelessness?" What if on- ly the symptoms of CO- VID-19 were managed? What if, instead of masks, social distancing and vac- cines, the only measure would be to treat sick peo- ple who come to an emer- gency room? The result: many more would die. This approach would cause an outcry, but when it comes to homelessness, addressing only the symp- toms has been the norm. Once people are living in shelters, they have reached the "emergency room" of a system that has not done enough to prevent them from getting there. The solutions to home- lessness are not unknown or out of reach. There are many programs and orga- nizations creating solu- tions that are part of a sys- tems-based strategy to help end homelessness in Canada. Research clearly points to three important measures: affordable hous- ing, support programs and prevention. As a social innovation designer, my research, teaching and practice focus on systems thinking and understanding and design- ing socially innovative so- lutions that don't simply address the symptoms -- they also get to the root of the challenge. I try to share my research through ac- cessible means which led me to create, produce and host my own podcast se- ries. The most recent epi- sode of the podcast looks at homelessness and housing as a right. AFFORDABLE HOUSING Demand far exceeds supply for affordable hous- ing. A shift in the role gov- ernment plays in Canada and a decades-long lack of investment in housing has led to the levels of home- lessness we are seeing. And low incomes are contributing to the prob- lem. The Ontario Disability Support Program provides a housing allowance of $497 per month. Ontario Works, the social assistance pro- gram, provides $390 a month. As of November 2021, the minimum wage in Ontario is $14.35 an hour or about $1,955 a month after taxes. In Toronto, the aver- age cost of a studio apart- ment is $1,211, and $1,431 for a one-bedroom apartment. It's clear: the math doesn't work. Toronto has a central- ized waiting list for subsi- dized housing, this list cur- rently has over 78,000 names and an estimated wait time of 12 years or more for a one-bedroom unit. SUPPORT PROGRAMS For decades the prevail- ing policy was that people needed to be "housing ready" before being placed in permanent housing, which meant being clean and sober, and in counsel- ling and treatment for mental health. Many prac- titioners working on the ground observed that this approach just didn't work. Sam Tsemberis, a Cana- dian psychologist working in New York City in the 1990s, gathered a group of outreach workers and asked: What if we got peo- ple in permanent housing first and then worked with them to get the services they need? This was the foundation for Housing First, "a rights- based intervention rooted in the philosophy that all people deserve housing, and that adequate housing is a precondition for recov- ery." Housing First pro- grams provide the services that help people stay housed and where they can thrive. In 2008, the federal gov- ernment launched a four- year research demonstra- tion project of Housing First called At Home/Chez Soi. Years of data gathering and analysis of the out- comes proved the effective- ness of the program which has been integral to the de- sign and implementation of several innovative initia- tives across Canada. The approach works, but it needs to be properly fund- ed. PREVENTION Once people are housed, many need support to stay housed. Some communi- ties provide resources and small loans to assist with rent, as well as legal aid to help stave off evictions. People exiting systems WHAT IF WE TREAT HOMELESSNESS LIKE A PANDEMIC? SARAH TRANUM OPINION THE SOLUTIONS TO HOMELESSNESS ARE NOT UNKNOWN OR OUT OF REACH See SUPPORTS, page 21