Summary
This is the newsletter that was circulated on September 1, 2023 (Topics include: Advocate at FEDCO, OSHN Annual Meeting, Alliance Job Opening, Alliance and OSHN RFP, Gloucester Housing Corp Job Opening)
Advocate on Tuesday for Supportive Housing at Committee
We are reaching out with an urgent request to deputize this coming Tuesday, September 5th at Finance & Corporate Services Committee. The City wants to purchase the property at 1245 Kilborn location for permanent supportive housing. The current building has space for 90 people, which would make a significant dent in the supportive housing wait list of 369 people.
There are a number of people already signed up to deputize against this supportive housing building. They are using very stigmatizing language and demonstrating a lack of understanding of supportive housing in general.
The report that is going to FEDCO can be read here and we need as many organizations as possible to do a deputation in favour of this acquisition in order to counter the high number of residents who have signed up to deputize in opposition.
If you are able to do a deputation in support of the City’s intended purchase, please email [email protected] to sign up. The meeting is at 9:30 am, and is both in person at City Hall and on Zoom, so it may be more accessible.
We know this is last minute, but everything helps. Numbers matter and the more people that show Councillors that supportive housing is a critical part of the solution to ending homelessness, the more likely we are to see these kinds of projects funded in the future.
And if you haven’t heard of this project, here is a link to a recent news article on it: MASSIVE ACQUISITION: City plans to buy 8.7-acre archdiocese property on Kilborn Place for affordable housing
OSHN Meeting – Registration is Open!
Register now for the in-person OSHN meeting, Thurs Oct 19, 2023, 1:00 – 4:30 pm at Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre, 102 Greenview Avenue. The agenda will include City and sector updates, discussion of the future of OSHN and plans for 2023/2024, and sharing of best practices. Anyone interested can continue on to dinner and an outing afterwards. Please reply here with any suggested topics for best practice sharing and for an evening activity.
Date: Thursday October 19th 2023
Time: 1:00 p.m – 4:30 p.m
Location: Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre – 102 Greenview Ave
Registration: Eventbrite
Alliance to End Homelessness: Community Housing Coordinator
The City has agreed to fund a position for a Community Housing Coordinator that would work with the PDC staff and community partners to work on system flow – identifying both possible units that could be opened up with an enhanced rent subsidy, as well developing solutions to barriers that prevent people from being housed quickly (eg: rent supplement delays, etc.)
This position is intended to be a one year contract focused on this project in particular. There’s a real emphasis on co-developing solutions with the City. We’re posting this today with the intention to fill this position as soon as possible, so that this critical work can be started soon. The position will be housed within the Alliance, but is intended to be a community-led position, with a central coordinator working with agencies across the sector.
We are reaching out to share the posting and ask that you pass this along to people who might be interested in it. The hope is that the governance development group would continue to be involved in oversight, along with the CAB and HSWG for this initiative.
Alliance to End Homelessness and OSHN RFP
OSHN is working with the Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa on a joint project to map out what the ideal housing and homelessness system could look like in Ottawa. The project is being co-designed with people with lived experience and will include strong engagement with sector stakeholders. We’re looking for a consultant to develop the report for this, and would ask that you pass along the attached RFP to your networks and welcome any recommendations. We hope that this project can contribute to the kind of coordinated responses we can make to ensure that people experiencing homelessness are stably housed and supported.
Gloucester Housing Corporation: Senior Maintenance Officer
Gloucester Housing is looking to fill a Permanent full-time Senior Maintenance Officer position. Please refer to the job posting.
Applications accepted until September 15th, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. Interviews to take place shortly after.
Please submit Resume and a Cover Letter to [email protected]