Post on 18-Dec-2015
Housing Pathways for Persons Who Have Experienced Homelessness
Tim Aubry, Fran Klodawsky, & Cristina Bonetta
Canadian Conference on HomelessnessYork University, May 19, 2005
Panel Study on Homelessness in Ottawa
To examine the pathways out of homelessness by following persons who are homeless longitudinally
Part of ongoing collaborative research efforts in Ottawa to inform policy and program development
One of first longitudinal study of its kind in Canada.
Research Partners
University of Ottawa (Centre for Research on Community Services, Institute of Population Health)
Carleton UniversitySt. Paul UniversityCity of Ottawa, Housing BranchAlliance to End Homelessness
Funding
Social Science Humanities Research Council– Homelessness and Diversity Issues in Canada
National Homelessness Initiative– Supporting Communities Partnerships Initiative
through the City of Ottawa, Housing Branch
Research Objectives
1. Testing a model of resources and risk factors related to exiting homelessness
2. Development of a typology of different courses of homelessness
3. Examination of health status change vis-à-vis housing status changes
Pathways Out of Homelessness Resources
IndividualEmployment HistoryEducational AttainmentHousing StabilitySense of EmpowermentInterpersonalSize of social networkAvailability of social supportSatisfaction with social supportCommunityIncome supportUse of health servicesUse of social servicesSubsidized housing
Risk FactorsPhysical health problemsMental health problemsSubstance abuse problems
Exit from Homelessness
Improved
Health
Status
-
+ +
Sampling Strategy1
Adult men1: Stratification by length of stayAdult women1: Stratification by length of stay and citizenshipFamilies1: Stratification by citizenshipYouth males2: Population samplingYouth females2: Population sampling
1Sampling size within a shelter is weighted according to proportion of total shelter beds for a subgroup found in the shelter2Sampling for youth participants is broken down with one-half targeted to originate from shelters and one-half to originate from YSB drop-in centre
Participants
In-depth interviews with 412 homeless people conducted during late 2002 and early 2003
– 88 single men – 85 single women – 78 male youth – 78 female youth – 83 adults in families
Study Objective
The present analysis provides preliminary findings on 217 participants who have participated in a follow-up interviewThe objective of the presentation is to present data on the housing status and housing history of participants since the first interview
Completed Interviews Broken Down by Subgroup
Subgroup N % of Sample
Families 47 57Male Adults 39 44Female Adults 50 59Male Youth 42 54Female Youth 39 50
Number of Moves Over Two Year Period Since Initial Homelessness
Subgroup* Mean Median SD
Male Youth (n=42) 4.81 4.00 2.81
Female Youth (n=39) 4.72 4.00 2.71
Male Adults (n=39) 4.15 3.00 2.54
Female Adults (n=50) 2.98 3.00 2.13
Families (n=47) 1.83 1.00 1.17
*MY, FY, MA > Fam; MY, FY > FA
% Housed At the Follow-Up Interview Broken Down by Subgroups1*
98
46
74 74
92
0102030405060708090
100
Families(n=47)
MA(n=39)
FA (n=50)
MY (n=42)
FY (n=39)
% housed
1Housed for at least 90 days at the point of the follow-up interview
*Fam > FA, MY, MA
FY > FA, MY, MA
FA, MY > MA
Number of Days in Regular Housing at Point of Follow-Up Interview
Subgroup* Mean Median SD
Families (n=47) 615 687 191.98
Female Youth (n=39) 467 477 245.02
Female Adult (n=50) 437 553 295.60
Male Youth (n=42) 326 309 277.98
Male Adult (n=39) 241 68 298.02
*Fam. > MY, MA; FY > MA; FA > MA
% Housed Who Are Living in Subsidized Housing Broken Down by Subgroups
76
0
44
1419
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Fam(n=46)
MA (n=18)
FA (n=37)
MY (n=31)
FY (n=36)
% subsidized
*Fam > FA, FY, MY, MA
FA > MY, FY
Monthly Housing Costs For Participants Housed 90 Days or More
Subgroup* Mean Median SD
Male Adult $497 $450 179.96
Female Adult $440 $414 293.49
Families $417 $269 300.61
Male Youth $416 $400 215.84
Female Youth $399 $375 273.40
*No differences between subgroups
Conclusions
1. Families are the most successful in exiting homelessness and achieving housing stability; a high % of families are able to access some form of subsidized housing
2. All of the subgroups with the exception of families had on average multiple moves (i.e., 3 or more) over a two-year period
Conclusions
3. Male adults experience the greatest difficulty in exiting homelessness; no male adults interviewed at follow-up had accessed subsidized housing
4. On average, although participants are paying less than the average for rental housing in Ottawa, it stills represent a high percentage of income for those on social benefits