Housing shortage leaving victims of violence out in the cold
CBC News | Posted: November 21, 2019 6:50 PM | Last Updated: November 22, 2019
Nelson House forced to turn away families fleeing abuse
A shelter for women and families fleeing violence in the Ottawa area says it's sent hundreds of woman back to dangerous situations this year because the system is so strained.
The executive director of Nelson House, which runs a shelter, offers services and works to end violence against women, said it used to refer clients to City of Ottawa emergency shelters or hotels when it was full.
On Thursday, Keri Lewis told Ottawa Morning host Robyn Bresnahan that started changing in 2017, when those backup options also ran out of space.
"The pressure on the system has meant that the city has sort of run out of options in terms of placing people," she said. "That leaves women — in particular, victims of violence — in very precarious situations."
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Nelson House said it started tracking numbers in January, and found 580 women have been turned away so far in 2019. That number doesn't include their children.
"There have been at least six instances of women and children either sleeping in their cars or on the streets [this year] because they've been unable to access emergency shelter," Lewis said.
We know that many dozens of women have been forced to remain in abusive homes. Some have been assaulted because there's absolutely nowhere for them to go. - Keri Lewis, Nelson House
"We know that many dozens of women have been forced to remain in abusive homes. Some have been assaulted because there's absolutely nowhere for them to go."
Lewis said Nelson House got government funding for a new facility with 20 beds, but only has the staff and resources to open 15 of them.
She said the provincial government, which controls the facility's funding, is aware of the situation but hasn't helped. Nelson House is instead relying on fundraising to try to offset its costs.
A spokesperson for Jill Dunlop, associate minister of children and women's issues, said $8.7 million of its more than $166 million of funding this year for survivors and violence prevention is being spent in the Ottawa area and Dunlop spoke with front-line workers there in the summer for feedback.
"Our government will continue to look at how we can improve and better support shelters and those fleeing violence," they said in an email.
$15M more in city budget
According to the city's draft budget, which is up for final approval in mid-December, more than 18,000 affordable housing units are currently occupied, while about 12,000 individuals and families languish on a wait list.
The budget dedicates $15 million to build more affordable housing.
Lewis welcomed that money, but called it "a drop in the bucket."
"The immediate need is for additional emergency housing in the city, but the long-term need is for more affordable housing because what we're seeing is that folks are staying in shelters much longer than they need to," she said.
"There is a need for someone fleeing violence to have a certain amount of time in a shelter just to be safe.… But we're having folks stay with us for six, eight, 10 months at times."