Health, Housing, and the Supporting Role of Public Space
Efforts to resolve the complex issue of homelessness must take into account the foundational and necessary role of comprehensive policies, across all levels of government, to provide people with access to safe, affordable, and stable housing. One such approach, outlined by the Ontario Human Rights Commission and applied by advocates in the field, positions housing firmly as a human right. This human rights approach aims to dispel myths about who is entitled to safe and adequate shelter and acknowledges that everyone is.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the linkages between access to housing and health outcomes have become increasingly obvious, and should remind us all that health is also a critical human right that must go hand-in-hand with access to shelter. The imminent state of the homelessness crisis means that many are having to choose between housing and their health.
In the absence of swift and coordinated policies to address these issues, public space has increasingly served as a vital resource for people experiencing homelessness to access services and meet their daily needs. Not only is the physical infrastructure of these spaces essential (eg. access to public washrooms, a plug to charge a device, or a comfortable place to rest), but those with dedicated operators and active local communities also enable them to be sites for vital programs and services—from free or affordable meals and clothing drives to health clinics and other social services.
In this way, public spaces can be seen as part of larger support network, alongside other cross-sector partners including shelter & housing support workers, neighbours & community stakeholders, as well as other specialists (e.g. in the areas of mental health or overdose prevention), each bringing their own assets and expertise to support people experiencing homelessness.
In this week’s Snapshot, we dive deeper into the interplay between housing and health as it relates to the complex issue of homelessness, while assessing the role that public spaces are playing (or can play in the future) in supporting the health, safety, and well-being of the people who are affected.
Housing & Health, hand-in-hand:
A talk organized by the Canadian Urban Institute on “How can the right to housing equip local governments to end homelessness?” gives insight into what solutions may look like. Hint: “Insights” doesn’t mean a template, as any solution will need to be catered to fit specific populations, but recognizing the intersection between housing and health is a good start.
The Friends of Ruby Home, a temporary home in Toronto opening on December 1st, has not adapted its plans to accommodate housing for LGBTQ+ youth, but has centered this community’s needs since its inception. Harm reduction is crucial to the approach, meaning aspects like mental health support and a ventilation system for each room ensure residents’ mental and physical health is protected.
Plans for a “campus of care” in downtown Toronto put forth a vision of “social medicine”, addressing the complex needs of health by addressing an upstream determinant: housing.
Dr. Naheed Dosani and Melissa Perri stress that health issues can push some into housing precarity and thus that solutions must be accompanied with “universal health care, decriminalizing drugs, implementing paid sick days and health insurance, supporting those with debt and ultimately providing housing for all.”
The expansion of virtual care during the pandemic simultaneously increases access for some while leaving gaps for low-income and unhoused people. This can lead to negative health outcomes as it may also not be supportive enough for the specific health needs of unhoused populations.
Public spaces & networks of support:
Strategic approaches and consolidated efforts across sectors like the Downtown Yonge’s Safe & Inclusive Streets Strategy empower those who operate in public space to address the safety of those living in their community. Providing aid in accessing resources in the city allows for the health and well-being of those without secure housing an opportunity to connect to supports.
A change in direction for the Atlanta Beltline, a railway corridor turned green trail, meant tying future growth plans to affordable housing in the vicinity. A panel of affordable housing experts helped inform the long-term strategy that will support the local community in achieving this shared priority.
Sherbourne Health has been operating the “Health Bus” in Toronto for years prior to the pandemic. A mobile unit providing mental and physical care in many of the city’s public parks and squares, their approach aims to break down a barrier that “make[s] accessing health care challenging” by meeting people where they are.
In Woodruff Park, a coalition of public space operators made it a priority to work together with the many users of the park to meet their diverse needs. A cart equipped with power outlets and games serves as an entry point to building relationships of trust with visitors before incorporating a case manager into the team to offer social services.
Based on learnings from the Safe in Public Space initiative, as well as discussions with community partners, The Bentway is in a long-term process to make commitments it can deliver on. Understanding the deep complexities of homelessness, and assessing the gaps and opportunities for how best to serve all members of our communities is just a first step.
