Causes of Homelessness and Houselessness

People who are homeless are not a distinct and separate population. In fact the line between being homeless and not being homeless is quite fluid. In general, the pathways into and out of homelessness are neither linear nor uniform. Individuals and families who wind up homeless may not share much in common with each other, aside from the fact that they are extremely vulnerable, and lack adequate housing and income and the necessary supports to ensure they stay housed. The causes of homelessness reflect an intricate interplay between structural factors, systems failures and individual circumstances. Homelessness is usually the result of the cumulative impact of a number of factors, rather than a single cause.

Structural factors: are economic and societal issues that affect opportunities and social environments for individuals. Key factors can include the lack of adequate income, access to affordable housing and health supports and/or the experience of discrimination.

Systems failures: occur when other systems of care and support fail, requiring vulnerable people to turn to the homelessness sector, when other mainstream services could have prevented this need.

Individual and relational factors: apply to the personal circumstances of a homeless person, and may include: traumatic events (e.g. house fire or job loss), personal crisis (e.g. family break-up or domestic violence), mental health and addictions challenges (including brain injury and fetal alcohol syndrome), which can be both a cause and consequence of homelessness and physical health problems or disabilities.

Source:

-Alberta Human Services (2011). Income Support - Alberta Human Services - Government of Alberta. Retrieved from: http://humanservices. alberta.ca/financial-support/689.html. Alliance to End Homelessness in Ottawa. (2012). Report Card on Ending Homelessness in Ottawa January-December 2012. Retrieved From: http://www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca/homelessness/documents/ReportCardonEndingHomelessnessinOttawaJanDec2012.pdf 

-Aubry, T., Farrell, S., Hwang, S. & Calhoun, M. (2013). Identifying the Patterns of Emergency Shelter Stays of Single Individuals in Canadian Cities of Different Sizes. Housing Studies, 2013:3-12. 

-Belanger, Y., Weasel Head, G., & Awosoga, O. (2012). Assessing Urban Aboriginal Housing and Homelessness in Canada. Ottawa: National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) and the Office of the Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians (OFI), Ottawa, 

-Ontario Burczycka, M. & Cotter, A. (2011). Shelters for Abused Women in Canada, 2010. Jurisdat, Component of Statistics Canada catalogue no. 85-002-X. Calgary Homeless Foundation (2011). Calgary’s 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness 2008-2011. Retrieved from: http://calgaryhomeless. com/assets/10-Year-Plan/10-year-plan-FINALweb.pdf

Appendix:

Author: Gulliver, T. (2014)

 Table #1: Affordable Housinng in Canada

Author: Gulliver, T. (2014)