Toronto Supportive Housing Growth Plan: Needs Assessment

At the same time, the need for substantial growth in supportive housing exists within the broader context of a housing crisis, marked by growing economic inequity,7 a scarcity of affordable housing,8 and a rise in homelessness throughout the city.9 The supportive housing system in Toronto includes housing and supports funded by the Provincial Ministry of Health and the Ontario Health Regions/Local. [...] In general, these groups have multiple interconnected needs that traverse health and social issues, and represent a range and intensity specific to the individual.28 The complexity of needs of clients/tenants of permanent supportive housing also speaks to the role of increasing social and economic disadvantage, including the enduring effects of homelessness. [...] Specifically, the average year-over-year growth of the MHA su pportive housing waitlist between FY2014 and FY2019 was used to project the growth of the waitlist to FY2030 and to estimate the number of units need annually to address the need. [...] This sub-theme reflects the idea that within a continuum of options, supports should be easily adapted to the changing needs of the individual, in terms of the kinds of supports available and ongoing adjustment of the intensity of the supports. [...] The importance of choice and control over housing and supports in contributing to quality of life and the ability to adapt to community is central to many supportive housing philosophies.122 At the same time, the qualitative data and the literature highlight numerous systemic and structural factors that greatly restrict individual choice.