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