Sudbury homelessness will only get worse without funding, workers say

A national report on the state of homelessness is calling for more spending towards affordable housing — shelter that doesn’t cost more than 30 per cent of a low-income person's budget.

Costly rentals are preventing the homeless in Sudbury from leaving the streets, says Lianne Bergeron, who has has served as the co-ordinator for Sudbury's Homelessness Network for seven years.

In that time, Bergeron says the biggest challenge has been finding clean and adequate housing for those in need.

"Units are either too expensive or the utility costs are too high for people on low income."

The problem is being exacerbated by the recent closure of several rooming houses, like 7 Pine Street, she noted.

"There's 45 individuals that lost a place to stay."

Laurentian University professor Carol Kauppi, who has studied homelessness extensively, said she estimates there's around 400 to 600 homeless people in Sudbury.

Of that number, Kauppi says Aboriginal people have the most difficulty finding secure places to live.

“They frequently speak about not being able to get housing because of discrimination and racism in communities."

Kauppi and Bergeron said they hope Sudbury's new mayor and council will create more affordable housing units, or the situation will only become worse.

The recent national report suggests a yearly donation of $46 dollars per Canadian could dramatically reduce the number of people living on the streets.