Policy Report >
Introduction and Summary
“People will take time to look at our photographs and read our stories, not just look and go, ‘Oh, that’s nice’ and walk off. But really look at the work we’ve done and think about what it feels like to walk in our shoes.”
- Peer Researcher from I WAS HERE project
Homelessness is a serious and growing social problem that affects many people in Toronto. According to the UN Human Rights Commission, “homelessness is one of the most severe manifestations of the denial of housing rights” iii. Although the exact number of homeless people living in Toronto is unknown, approximately 32,000 different people slept in a Toronto homeless shelter in 2002iv, and about 6,500 individuals stayed in a shelter on any given night in 2006v. Additional thousands who are either at risk of homelessness or experiencing hidden homelessness1 remain unaccounted for. In 1998, the City of Toronto endorsed a declaration acknowledging homelessness as a national disaster.
Behind these facts and figures are the lived experiences of people with often unacknowledged strengths who are struggling to survive in the face of systemic exclusion and discrimination. This report brings together the findings and recommendations from eight community-based, arts-informed research studies on homelessness in Toronto. These studies represent the voices of individuals who are affected by homelessness and multiple issues of marginalization. In the life stories of these individuals, a diversity of experiences and identities emerge. While the studies featured in this report focused on different groups of people and used different research methods, the participants in these projects identified many similar issues and common experiences about homelessness. This report is not meant to be an exhaustive summary of the findings and recommendations of each of the eight projects. Rather, it is a creative synthesis of the knowledge gathered by these studies, expressed in words, images and other art forms.
The Diverse Face of Homelessness:
The faces of homeless people in Toronto are varied and diverse. In recognition of this, this report uses the phrases “diverse people experiencing homelessness” and “diverse homeless people”2 interchangeably to refer to people who are homeless and who identify with diverse experiences and identities that often overlap with one another. These diverse experiences and identities include, but are not limited to, women, Aboriginal peoples, trans people, young mothers, racialized people/people of colour, people who use substances, and people with physical and mental health issues and disabilities.
"You are looked down upon... not treated with any dignity. Your concerns are not well heard because of ...where you are from." - Participant from Count Us In! Project
People with experiences of homelessness have significant insight, knowledge and the ability to identify solutions to address homelessness and poverty related issues. However, they are generally not asked about what they want or need, nor are they consulted on the most appropriate ways to deliver programs and services. Indeed, they are largely prevented from participating in the administration, management, evaluation and monitoring of services and programs that impact their lived realities. Participants across the eight studies have indicated that they are routinely left out of the decisions that affect their everyday lives. Knowing this, it is not surprising that participants from all of the projects have clearly indicated that the systems, services, programs and policies associated with homelessness do not sufficiently address the common or unique needs of diverse homeless people in Toronto.
While this report echoes the sentiments expressed by research participants about the need for adequate incomes, affordable and appropriate housing, quality health care, and social and community supports, it also seeks to emphasize the common and overarching solution identified by each of the eight research studies: inclusion and accountability. Efforts to address homelessness must be accountable to and inclusive of those with experiences of homelessness. Inclusion requires an acknowledgement of the lived realities and challenges facing those experiencing homelessness. Only then can their engagement and collaboration in such activities as program planning and service delivery be structured in ways that are supportive, meaningful and realistic. In addition, an inclusive approach must include a diversity of homeless people in policy-making, program planning and service delivery efforts, in order to represent the diverse identities and experiences of the homeless population. It is crucial to recognize the diverse realities of individuals experiencing homelessness in order to develop and implement effective solutions to homelessness.
This report should be cited as:
Sakamoto, I., Khandor, E., Chapra, A., Hendrickson, T., Maher, J., Roche, B. & Chin, M. (2008). Homelessness – Diverse Experiences, Common Issues, Shared Solutions: The Need for Inclusion and Accountability. Toronto: Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto.
1) The hidden homeless include “those in transition homes, jails and detox centres, and those who live in overcrowded, unstable, or inadequate housing. It also includes “couch surfing,” which is when people stay at a friend or family members’ dwelling for a short period of time, then move on to another persons’
home” (Baskin, 2007, p.33 – for details see Endnote xv in Appendix A: References).
2) This report recognizes that referring to a group of people as "homeless people" may inadvertently suggest that "homelessness" is a character trait, not a situation in which people find themselves. For this reason, we prefer the phrase "people who are homeless" or “people experiencing homelessness” to "homeless people". However, throughout this document, we also try to describe the experiences of diverse people, and for lack of a more appropriate and concise phrase to encompass both the ideas of being “homeless” and “diverse”, we have decided to use the term “diverse homeless people” as a compromise. It is also important to recognize that while this report seeks to represent some of the many different experiences, strengths and needs of people who are homeless, it does so only to the extent allowed by the eight individual research projects. Consequently, the experiences of refugees, people without (immigration) status, lesbian/gay/bisexual/2-spirited/intersex/queer people, young fathers, people who have been incarcerated, and among others with experiences of homelessness are not explicitly presented in this report and its recommendations.
iii) United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT). Housing rights legislation: Review of international and national legal instruments (2002). Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Retrieved on September 9, 2008 from <http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/Publications/HousingRightsen.pdf>
iv) City of Toronto. (2003). The Toronto Report Card on Homelessness and Housing 2003. Toronto: City of Toronto.
v) Shapcott, M. (2006). TO’s “sheltered” homeless: Up or down? Toronto: The Wellesley Institute.
Photo Credit: Alexis Kane Speer, Centre for Urban Health Initiatives.
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