Understanding Pathways Out of Homelessness

1
Understanding Pathways Out of Homelessness

• Tim Aubry, Fran Klodawsky, Cristina Bonetta
• Community Forum on Research
• Alliance to End Homelessness In Ottawa
• November 22, 2005

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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 the first longitudinal study of its kind
  in Canada.

3
Study 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

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Objective of the Presentation

• The present analysis provides preliminary
  findings on 256 participants who have been
  located and have participated in a follow-up
  interview
• The objective of the presentation is to present
  data on the housing status and housing history of
  participants since the first interview

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Completed Follow-Up Interviews Broken Down by
Subgroup

• Subgroup N
• Families 58 71
• Single women 55 65
• Female Youth 50 64
• Male Youth 49 63
• Single men 43 49

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Housed1 At Follow-Up Interview
1Housed for at least 90 days at the point of the
follow-up interview
7
Type of Housing in Which Housed Participants1
Lived (N166)
1Housed for at least 90 days at the point of the
follow-up interview
8
of Housed Participants Who Live in Subsidized
Housing
1Housed for at least 90 days at the point of the
follow-up interview
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Number of Days Housed Since Last Episode of
Homelessness
Subgroup Avg. Median SD
Adults in Families (n58) 613 700 189
Female Youth (n50) 438 429 231
Single Women (n55) 425 548 298
Male Youth (n49) 306 243 282
Single Men (n43) 240 68 294
FAM gt FY, FA, MY, SM FY, SW gt SM
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Number of Moves Over Two Year Period Since
Initial Homelessness
Subgroup Avg. Median SD
Female Youth (n50) 5.04 5.00 2.74
Male Youth (n49) 4.94 4.00 3.01
Single Men (n43) 4.23 3.00 2.58
Single Women (n55) 2.98 3.00 2.04
Adults in Families (n58) 1.86 1.00 1.13
FY, MY, SM gt Fam FY, MY gt SW
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of Participants Who Experienced Homelessness
After Being Housed

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Housing Costs Per Month For Housed Participants1
Subgroup Avg. Median SD
Single Men (N20) 460 412 201
Adults in Families (N56) 360 253 273
Single Women (N38) 341 311 234
Male Youth (N31) 307 325 193
Female Youth (N44) 198 220 189
1 Housed for at least 90 days at the point of the
follow-up interview SM FAM, SW gt FY
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Conclusions

1. Families are the most successful in exiting
   homelessness and achieving housing stability
   over three quarters of families are able to
   access some form of subsidized housing
2. All of the subgroups with the exception of
   families experienced housing instability over the
   two-year period between interviews

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Conclusions

1. Single men experienced the greatest difficulty in
   exiting homelessness and maintaining housing
   none were living in subsidized housing
2. Housing costs represent a high percentage of
   income for housed participants on social
   assistance putting them at risk for future
   episodes of homelessness