Homelessness and Housing in a Northeastern Ontario, Canada, First Nation : A Community-Based Project

This article describes a study on homelessness within a First Nation community (NEO FN), including the characteristics and reasons for homelessness, the size of the at risk population, service utilization, the impact of homelessness and models of collaboration between agencies. An objective was to gather information for the development of a community-based strategy for addressing homelessness, including the need and possibility of establishing transitional housing. The sample for the survey was 86 participants; it included men and women between the ages of 16 to 75. Twenty-seven people also participated in focus groups. A substantial proportion of the survey respondents had experienced homelessness in their lifetimes or within the previous year. Thirty-six (42%) survey participants self-reported homelessness; of these 24 (28%) met the definition of absolute homelessness. Over half of those who were absolutely homeless indicated that the main reason was unemployment or a lack of income followed by a lack of housing available to them. Despite a lack of housing available in the community, participants stated that families take care of their own members and usually find ways to provide accommodation, consistent with the traditional values of the community. Participants believed that the need for new housing in the community as well as housing services were paramount