Community programs are making progress in curbing homelessness in Red Deer.
On Tuesday, the city released the annual Report to the Community: Homelessness and Affordable Housing Initiatives 2012-2013.
According to the report, 127 new individuals were housed, 161 individuals received housing supports and 35 youth were assisted from April 1, 2012, to March 31, 2013.
Mayor Morris Flewwelling said the community programs have been able to make some progress in the last five years but there is work ahead with a housing crunch on the horizon.
“We’re already seeing vacancy rates drop and rent prices go up,” said Flewwelling. “All of that exacerbates the problem with those who are hard to house or don’t have the money for the housing.”
Flewwelling said there’s a constant supply of people who are in emergency need of housing, including those who have been evicted or cannot make rent.
He said for every homeless person in Red Deer, there are another 10 people who are at risk of being homeless.
A point-in-time homeless count in October 2012 gave a snapshot of Red Deer’s homeless. Figures from the count showed that 279 people were homeless that night.
“It is a very dynamic situation where as you fish people out of the homelessness river, there are people falling in upstream,” said Flewwelling. “You can deal with it but it is unlikely you reach a point where everybody is adequately and appropriately housed.”
The city, however, has developed EveryOne’s Home: Red Deer’s Five Year Plan Towards Ending Homelessness, from which the report originated.
Various programs operated by the Central Alberta Safe Harbour Society, the Red Deer Native Friendship Society, the Red Deer Youth and Volunteer Centre, Central Alberta Women’s Outreach Society and the Canadian Mental Health Association are doing their part to provide housing and supports.
Funding was allocated through the Outreach and Support Services Initiative provincial grant ($2,749,167) and through the Homelessness Partnering federal grant ($479,118).
Rose Hatfield, program manager at the Red Deer Youth and Volunteer Centre, said the number of youth assessing the services is consistent with previous years. The centre operates a youth program for the recently homeless or those at risk for being homeless.
crhyno@www.reddeeradvocate.com