Mitzie Hunter issues three-point plan to reduce homelessness, increase housing stability, raise mental wellness

Plan includes transformative benchmarks for success, mayoral candidate says

Toronto – Mitzie Hunter, mayoral candidate, saying everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to live, is issuing a three-point plan to address the crisis of record homelessness in our city.
Hunter’s plan includes:

•    Reducing homelessness
•    Increasing housing stability  
•    Raising mental wellness

“Everyone in Toronto deserves a safe and affordable place to live and call home,” Hunter says.
“It’s a fundamental human right. My three-point plan to reduce homelessness, increasing housing stability and raising mental wellness will put us on a path towards ensuring everyone in Toronto has a safe and affordable home.”
Here is how Hunter’s three-point plan for 2023 works:

•    Reducing homelessness:
o   Opening 24/7 warming and cooling centres for people experiencing homelessness year round
o   Adding 400 new shelter beds to address a system permanently over-capacity
o   Doubling capacity of street outreach programs to support individuals who are experiencing homelessness by helping them move into permanent housing.

•    Increasing housing stability:
o   2,000 new supportive homes with permanent funding for supportive services for residents
o   Increasing eviction prevention services by expanding the Eviction Prevention in the Community (EPIC) Program which supports vulnerable rental households to maintain their homes

•    Raising mental wellness:
•    Doubling support for street outreach services
•    Increasing assistance from peer support workers as well as clinical supports from psychologists and social workers
•     to address the physical, mental health and safety needs of persons experiencing homelessness, including at least five new Housing Outreach Program Collaboration teams to support the mental wellness needs of the 1,000 youth experiencing homelessness in Toronto.
•    Intervening by helping young people and adults moving into permanent housing with support systems to improve their overall
•     functioning and community participation. Also, bring in dedicated teams that focus on youth including Indigenous and racialized youths. Utilize family re-unification efforts whenever possible when it is safe to do so.
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These measures would be supported by a newly-established Housing Stability Fund amounting to $100 million in the first year, while we continue to accelerate our progress in building new affordable homes across the city. 
Hunter would also establish public benchmarks to track our progress in ending chronic homelessness and ensure everyone has an affordable, safe and adequate home.

Hunter’s plan will be informed by talking to people with lived experience of homelessness and those with greatest housing needs before, during and after implementation as well as experts such as those at the Wellesley Institute.
Those with the greatest housing needs include women and children fleeing domestic violence, seniors, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, those dealing with mental health and addiction issues, veterans, young adults, racialized groups and newcomers to Canada.

“The cost of housing is a crisis in Toronto with too many people at risk of eviction and homelessness,” Hunter says.
“Too many people are sheltering on the TTC or in parks. The dignity of our people demands that we take action to reduce homelessness and increase housing stability. My three-point plan achieves this.”
 

MITZIE HUNTER: A safe, affordable place to call home a fundamental human right (torontosun.com)