A year-and-a-half after its launch, the Streets to Homes pilot program has currently housed 84 people who were living in homelessness: 69 participants in private market housing, 10 participants in supported housing and 5 in transitional housing. Significantly, the retention rate for those housed in private market units for six months or more is 95%.

Progress is being in Greater Victoria, as 435 new units of subsidized housing and rent supplements came online during 2010/11. During the same timeframe, 535 people were housed by outreach teams that specialize in working with people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. But evidence shows there is still much more to be done.

Members of the public are invited to participate in an evening of information sharing that includes a keynote speech by Shapcott, a response panel of local service providers, and a Q&A. On Wednesday, February 16, Homelessness or Homefullness: Creating a Blueprint for Canada’s Future takes place at David Lam Auditorium at the University of Victoria from 7 to 9pm. The event is free.
 

Be inspired and help the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness raise money. On Saturday, January 15th, 9 inspiring speakers take the stage at the Victoria Conference Centre to share their experiences and insights on a day meant to motivate people to reach new levels of success in business and in life.

Thanks to the hard work of community organizations and the generosity of a local donor, a new fund has been established at the Victoria Foundation to provide emergency assistance to prevent people from losing their permanent housing.

Salvation Army Chapel, St. John the Divine and the Victoria Native Friendship Centre will be available tonight. Please go to the Salvation Army ARC (525 Johnson St.) to sign up for a space. Transportation will be available starting at 9pm.

On Salt Spring Island, Salt Spring Island Community Services Outreach is also open tonight.

Shelters available tonight are as follows:

Emergency weather extra shelter mats

Salvation Army Chapel - 525 Johnson - 30 Mats (Men Only)
St. John the Divine - 1611 Quadra Street - 40 Mats (Men, Women and Pets)
Victoria Native Friendship Centre - 231 Regina Ave - 25 Mats (Women and Men)

Please note that tonight's Out of the Rain shelter will be held at:

Beacon Community Services CAP Building - 1450 Elford.

This is a temporary change as the facility offering the regular Wednesday service was unable to accommodate the shelter for tonight.

This morning protesters vandalized the home and car of Mayor Dean Fortin. The Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness (the Coalition) condemns these acts of violence against the mayor and his family.

Effective November 1st, some shelter locations and opening hours ave changed. The following is a list of places to stay, their hours, on-site services and who may stay there. We’ve also listed the facilities that are now closed.

To continue to help people who are living homeless find and keep housing, Streets to Homes needs to find available private market suites, and landlords willing to support the program. Please contact maggie.ks@solvehomelessness.ca with any information.

A popular service fair for people living homeless and in extreme poverty returns to Our Place drop-in for the third year in a row Oct. 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Coalition-sponsored Project Connect features one-stop shopping for a long list of much-needed services for some 700 people who we’ll see that day. They’ll come for services including help with housing, medical care, veterinary care, foot treatments, ID replacement, haircuts and more.