Fredericton hopes to end chronic homelessness in 5 years

Fredericton is hoping it can eradicate chronic homelessness in the capital city within the next five years as two local shelters are already at capacity.

The subject of homelessness in Fredericton was thrust back into the spotlightthis week because of a makeshifttent city erectedon the riverbank.

Coun. Mike O'Brien said onInformation Morning Frederictonthat when somethingsuch as a tent cityhappens,it grabs the public's attention."Ittugs on the heartstrings, theywant todosomethingbut they forget about it so quickly.

Ittugs on the heartstrings, theywant todosomethingbut they forget about it so quickly.- Coun. Mike O'Brien

It's basically invisible in this city," O'Brien said.

Both the men's and women's homeless shelters in Fredericton have been running close to or at capacity lately, forcing somehomelesspeople to live in tents along the St. John River.

O'Brien said Fredericton's plan to end homelessness,called The Road Home,is a road map for ending chronic homelessness within the next four to five years.

"I think we can have the co-ordination within our community to end chronic homelessness,the 70 to80 people that are chronically on the streets or in shelters. It can be done," he said.

The plan, whichwas announced in June,will cost an estimated $10 million. Itoutlines the development of 39 new housing units and 36 program spaces in Fredericton within four years.

O'Brien, who is thechair of theCommunity Action Group on Homelessness, saysall three levels of government have to come together to eradicate the problem.

Along with those who are chronically homeless, O'Brien said there are700 to800 people that can experience homelessness at anypoint during the year..

"They may be couchsurfing in somebody's basement," the councillor said.

"They're not on the street but close to it, so we wait for them to fail and then we pick them up.There is away forward and it's the Housing First model."

O'Brien said the goal of Housing Firstis to find enough places for people to live, triage them when they go into the shelter, within 10 to 20 days movethem out into a safe spot and have wrap around services to help them succeed.