Both Haliburton County and the City of Kawartha Lakes are cutting back on homelessness.
The Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness announced today that both the county and the city have seen a 51 per cent reduction in chronic homelessness since August.
According to Kawartha Lakes officials, Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes is one of two communities being recognized at the “Built for Zero Press Conference” in Toronto.
Officials say they are being recognized because they are projected to reach “functional zero” within the next 12 months.
Functional zero means that the city and the county will have a maximum of three people experiencing chronic homelessness over a three-month span. Chronic homelessness is when an individual experiences homelessness for at least six months in the past year.
Michelle Corley of the Housing Help Division of City of Kawartha Lakes says “the commitment and work around supporting the most vulnerable in our community is providing an opportunity to ensure that our resources are being used effectively to make a difference in the lives of those who would have otherwise fallen through the cracks of the system,”
Kawartha Lakes reports that since 2016, both areas have been involved in the 20,000 homes campaign which is designed to house “Canada’s most vulnerable homeless people.”
The 20,000 homes campaign successfully housed 21,254 people, which sparked the Alliance launching a new national effort, the Built for Zero Canada campaign.
The county and city both are aiming to end chronic homelessness in the respective communities by 2020.