Item - 2014.CD29.1

The Community Development and Recreation Committee recommends that:

1.         City Council authorize the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, to issue a Request for Expression of Interest (REOI) in 2014 to establish community interest in operating up to two 24-hour low-barrier drop-ins for women, one in the east end and one in the west end of the city; and

2.         City Council direct the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration to prepare a report to the August 6, 2014 Budget Committee for their consideration on the results of the REOI, feasibility of the service, and estimated program costs and tax impacts, with a view to have one or two 24-hour low-barrier drop-ins for women established no later than December 2014.

Due to lack of quorum, this item was not completed at the Committee's meeting on April 17, 2014 (Item CD28.2), and is now brought forward for completion.

This report provides recommendations on the feasibility of establishing a 24-hour drop-in for women, based upon consultations conducted with service users and providers from December to March 2014.

An update report on the need and consultation process for developing a safe overnight space for women was received by Community Development and Recreation Committee on January 21, 2014. Currently, there are very few places for women to go overnight, particularly if they will not go to shelters, or if they need respite for a short period of time.

A majority of those consulted agreed that there is a need for a low-threshold overnight or 24-hour service for women.  A drop-in that is open during the most dangerous times for street-involved women, when other services are closed, will meet basic safety needs and provide identified essential service needs including showers, laundry, provision of healthy food and snacks, counselling and referrals. The recent consultations indicate the service philosophy must incorporate low-barrier, harm reduction, trauma-informed care.

A majority suggest that a 24-hour drop-in will best meet the need for a low-barrier overnight service for women.  While a stand-alone 24-hour drop-in is the most appropriate service model to meet the needs of the most vulnerable street-involved women, enhancing a current drop-in to provide overnight services represents another viable option.

Regardless of the option to be pursued, however, there will be a cost impact to expanding services that will be a challenge to implement if there is a desire or expectation to keep property tax increases at or around the rate of inflation.