Emergency Shelter for Youth

 The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee recommends the adoption of the communication dated April 9, 1998, from Councillor Jack Layton, Co-Chair, Advisory Committee on Homeless and Socially Isolated Persons.

 The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee reports, for the information of Council, having requested the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services to submit a progress report regarding emergency shelter for youth to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee.

 The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee submits the following communication (April 9, 1998) from Councillor Jack Layton, Co-Chair, Advisory Committee on Homeless and Socially Isolated Persons:

 Purpose:

 To address the impending emergency shelter service gaps for youth as a result of scheduled closures on April 30, 1998, of the three temporary winter hostel sites and the Out of the Cold programs.

 Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

 Financial implications of the proposed recommendation should be absorbed by the existing Hostel Services Division budget.

 Recommendations:

 Given that a number of the temporary winter facilities, created by the Hostel Services Division during the winter of 1997/98 to address increased demand for daytime and overnight emergency shelter, are scheduled to close on April 30, 1998, resulting in a significant reduction in overnight services for a minimum of 120 youth, per night, it is recommended that:

 (1)the City of Toronto Hostels Division recognize the need for expanded overnight services for youth as a high priority and continue to explore all possible options for meeting the needs of youth using the services at The Satellite, 60 Richmond Street, 11 Ordnance Street and the Out of the Cold programs, specifically:

 (a)that existing youth shelters be surveyed to determine the potential for adding Aemergency service@ beds, funded at the current per diem rate;

 (b)given the success of the model utilized by Eva=s Place at The Satellite, that a high priority be placed on finding another facility to enable the program to continue to operate; and

(2)the City of Toronto promote the creation of permanent housing for youth in recognition that emergency shelters are not an effective long term solution to homelessness.

 Council Reference/Background/History:

 On October 8, 1997, the former Metropolitan Council received a report, entitled AThe Homeless Crisis in Metro,@ from the Commissioner of Community Services which described the growing crisis of homelessness in Toronto along with suggested actions to enable an effective winter response. The former Metro and City of Toronto Councils authorized staff to co-ordinate the release of municipal building space for emergency shelter purposes for the winter of 1997/98. Staff of Metro and the City of Toronto worked with community agencies to successfully develop three additional sites at 60 Richmond Street, 11 Ordnance and at the Sheppard Subway, a facility dedicated for youth called The Satellite. The Satellite is operated by Eva=s Place, an existing youth shelter in North York. The expected closure of these winter shelters and Out of the Cold Programs on April 30, 1998, will result in a loss of approximately 450 beds to the system.

 The Satellite, with space for 40 youth, report operating at full capacity since its opening. This suggests the value of this alternative service model which is targeted toward youth who typically do not use youth shelters. Limited rules and demands have attracted youth from squats, Asqueegee kids@, and youth living on the street. Staff report success with this model and have successfully assisted a number of youth along the path to permanent housing.

 The new facilities at 60 Richmond and 11 Ordnance report an unexpected demand for service by youth. An average of 35 youth stay at 60 Richmond per night with another 20 young people staying at the Ordnance site. Staff also report a high number of Asqueegee kids@ using these services.

 The Out of the Cold program established a once a week, dedicated youth program for the first time this winter. They provide food and shelter to 25 to 40 youth per night. In addition, 5-10 percent of those using the regular Out of the Cold programs are youth.

 In addition to the unexpected demand for emergency shelter by youth at these temporary winter facilities, existing youth shelters have maintained consistently high occupancy levels. The demand for emergency shelter by youth does not typically drop during the summer months. In fact, each spring as the Out of the Cold programs close, drop-in hours are reduced and the extreme weather alert beds are eliminated, service demand increases.

 A range of emergency shelter models encourage a greater number of homeless youth to find a safe, supportive place to stay. Ensuring that these services are located across the City of Toronto allow young people to remain in their own communities. Familiar supports and services help young people in stabilizing their lives after the chaos of a homeless experience.

 Conclusion:

 With the scheduled closure of several temporary winter shelters on April 30, 1998, as many as 120 young people could find themselves without a place to stay each night. The City of Toronto crafted an emergency system during the winter of 1997/98 to meet the growing homeless crisis in Toronto. Unfortunately, the crisis has not abated. Furthermore, youth who do not tend to use more structured youth shelters have responded to the type of services provided at The Satellite, 60 Richmond and 11 Ordnance Street and have come to depend upon them.

 An immediate response is needed to avert this crisis for homeless youth in our city. Therefore, the Advisory Committee on Homeless and Socially Isolated Persons calls upon Toronto=s Hostel Services Division to recognize the need for expanded overnight services for youth as a high priority and continue to explore all possible options for meeting the needs of youth using the services at The Satellite, 60 Richmond Street, 11 Ordnance Street and the Out of the Cold programs.

 Councillor Jack Layton, Co-Chair, Advisory Committee on Homeless and Socially Isolated Persons, appeared before the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee in connection with the foregoing matter.