Greater Sudbury houses 74 people thanks to 'by-name list'

The City of Greater Sudbury says it has helped 74 people find housing since the summer by collaborating with partner organizations and using what it calls a "by-name list."

The city started the list last July based on successful initiatives in other communities in Canada, including Hamilton, Windsor, Kitchener, Guelph, Peterborough and Kingston.

Individuals experiencing homelessness can add their names to the list, which gives the city permission to share their information with several community organizations that have all signed a data sharing agreement to protect their private information.

When the city launched the list, the founding organizations were Sudbury's Homelessness Network, the Canadian Mental Health Association Sudbury/Manitoulin, Monarch Recovery Services and the N'Swakamok Native Friendship Centre.

"This approach has been something that's been identified as a best practice across Canada and in many other countries," Gail Spencer, the city's co-ordinator of shelters and homelessness programs, said.

Spencer said the list has allowed the city and its partner organizations, which all receive some level of municipal funding, to make the most efficient use of existing resources.

"So it's a much smoother process for people experiencing homelessness, and it's better for the programs because they get the right person for their programs, so their program will be more successful," she said.

Spencer said the list also provides the city with a real-time picture of homelessness in Greater Sudbury.

As of Wednesday, Feb. 23, there were 205 names on the list. Spencer said organizations were able to find adequate housing for 74 of those people. They also know 111 people on the list are actively looking for housing.

Of those individuals looking for housing, Spencer said 16 were living in a tent encampment, 30 were regularly using the city's shelters and 36 had access to provisional housing, which could mean transitional housing, a detox centre or a stay in the hospital.

Housing success

Raymond Landry, a co-ordinator with Sudbury's Homelessness Network, said the by-name list has helped the organization better support its clients.

"We had only successfully housed six to seven persons in the first eight months of the year, and we doubled that number in the last three months of the year," he said.

Landry said the Homelessness Network maintained its own list before, but now the shared list allows it to work with partner organizations to get people the help they need.

"There is an attempt at matching as best as possible, but the person has a chance to let us know what kind of services, what kind of housing, what kind of supports they think they need upon the intake process," he said.

Landry said an individual with higher needs, especially related to housing, might be referred to them, while someone already in provisional housing might be referred to a different organization like the Canadian Mental Health Association. 

But while the list has helped make better use of limited resources, Landry said there remains a number of barriers in Greater Sudbury that prevent people from finding affordable housing.

"There are serious, serious blockages in terms of affordable housing and landlords who are willing to work with us, but we keep pressing on, one person at a time," he said.