Nowhere to go

December 14, 2018 Alyssa Gould cold, Fredericton, homelessness, New Brunswick, out of the cold, shelters, winter

The cluster of camping tents lining the chain-linked fence besides the Victoria Health Centre grabbed the attention of Frederictonians. But as more tent cities popped up around town and below-zero temperatures set in, it homelessness turned into a crisis.

When the word spread about our homeless population rough sleeping in tent cities, it went viral. Donations of blankets, sleeping bags, clothes, toiletries and money poured in. But could the crisis have been avoided?

“This did not create itself out of nowhere; this crisis is a slow time in the making,” says Faith McFarland, the community development coordinator for the Community Action Group Against Homelessness.

There are currently 40 people rough sleeping in the city of Fredericton. And the recent opening of the emergency shelter at 791 Brunswick is “putting a Band-Aid on a bit of a festering wound,” says McFarland.

Getting people warm

The shelter accommodates 20 people. Everyone is provided with a single mattress, fresh sheets, warm blankets and a pillow. There’s access to showers, first aid supplies, books to read, DVD’s to watch, a laundry facility and of course hot coffee. It gives a chance for people to get a good night’s rest and prevent cold injuries.

The Out of the Cold emergency shelter is already operating at full capacity. They’ve created little to no barriers so everyone feels welcomed to come in and get warm.

They’ve even added a pet room so those with furry friends are welcomed too.

“Maybe we can’t relate, but people choose their dog or cat before coming inside. So, we’re risking death or injury, by having a low-barrier shelter that has a pet room.”

Nowhere to go

Fredericton’s only men’s shelter ran at a 96 per cent overall capacity last year, leaving little room for those in need of emergency accommodations.

But those who overstay at emergency shelters have a reason to do so.

“People in shelters stay in shelters probably for longer because there’s nothing for them to exit to,” says McFarland. Declining vacancy have caused rent prices to rise in Fredericton.

According to McFarland, a one-bedroom apartment in the city averages to about $710 a month.

Someone who relies on social assistance receives $537 monthly. This amount doesn’t even get them close to entering the housing market.

Another barrier to housing is not allowing more than one person receiving social assistance in a household. When two or more persons share the responsibilities of the home, it’s considered an Economic Household. Only one assistance cheque is given to the economic household, although the people may have no personal relationship with their roommates.

This holds people back from sharing an apartment and save some of the little money they do receive.

Marchell Coulombe, the community developer with Horizon Health Network, added that New Brunswick has a great rent-subsidy program. But the lack of landlords accepting tenants with rent subsidies in Fredericton is low.

Just last year in Fredericton alone there were 1,201 people on a waiting list for rent subsidies.

The rent subsidy program takes 30 per cent of the person’s household income to pay for their rent, heat, hot water, a fridge and a stove.

“If you have a shortage of willing landlords who want to take rent subsidies, you have this bottleneck where units don’t become open very often. And there’s nowhere for people who really need an affordable place to live to go.”

Staying hopeful

Still, there’s hope for available affordable housing units.

The Housing First Fund – created by Isaac’s Way owner Jason LeJeune, United Way and McFarland – has collected close to $1 million. The fund will go towards building affordable housing micro-units on land City Council declared as surplus.

The John Howard society will be the first not-for-profit organization to build one of the four-unit buildings.

“As we get units built people can move and it’ll make a dent in, and increase, capacity for emergency situations,” says Coulombe.

Both McFarland and Coulombe have been grateful for the donations they’ve received, but don’t want people to forget the issue at hand.

“Let this be a first step. For many people in the community now that you’re tuned into homelessness is now let’s solve it, let’s really solve this.”

People in the City Hall viewing gallery waiting for the Planning Advisory Committee meeting to begin. The meeting decided the faith of the temporary Out of the Cold Shelter located at 791 Brunswick Street. People were sitting shoulder to shoulder and kept piling up in the gallery until the meeting started.

The Planning Advisory Committee includes three Councillors and six citizens.

Those who came in late had to stand. The viewing gallery was packed with volunteers, employees and supporters of the emergency shelter.

Faith McFarland, community development coordinator with the Community Action Group on Homelessness presenting her application to the committee. McFarland brought in maps of 791 Brunswick Street that indicated the location of smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and emergency exits. She also answered questions from the committee and concerned citizens.

Sarah Magie, Intern Supply Minister at St. Paul’s United Church, read a letter in support of the emergency shelter. Magie was the first of many public speakers at the meeting.

A photography student from the New Brunswick Craft and Design College shared with the committee photographs she took of Fredericton’s homeless community. She had portraits of people and pictures of their living conditions.

A man who lives near the temporary shelter asked for his neighbours to “open their hearts”. Recent buzz of neighbours opposed to the shelter were allegedly trying to get it shut down.