Inventory of Aboriginal Services, Issues and Initiatives in Vancouver: Housing & Homelessness

Relevant Details

• Aboriginal children have almost twice the poverty rate (40%) of non-Aboriginal children. This number would have been significantly higher if the data had included children living on reserves (First Call, BC Campaign 2000: What is Child Poverty).
• Aboriginal people are represented at all points in the continuum of homelessness. In particular, they are either absolutely homeless or relatively homeless and ‘couch surfing’
• There are 24 Aboriginal social housing complexes in East Vancouver with a total of 725 units, but this only meets a small portion of the need.

City of Vancouver Housing Plan for the Downtown Eastside, October 2005 (PDF)

• “whereas 2% of the city’s population identify themselves as having Aboriginal origins, this figure is 9% in the [DTES], ranging from 22% and 23% in Thornton Park and Victory Square to 3% in Strathcona” (p. 20).
• 15% of SRO residents were Aboriginal. Aboriginal people are over-represented in the Downtown Eastside and in the injection drug user community, and have been found to be more likely to be infected with HIV and Hepatitis C…” (p. 54).
• [Recommendation] Given the high proportion of Aboriginal people in the Downtown Eastside population, develop additional culturally-appropriate social housing that is Aboriginal-operated or managed. Follow the recommendations in the Homeless Action Plan to develop Aboriginal social housing, transitional housing and shelters city-wide to properly house Aboriginal people at-risk of homelessness” (p. 124).

Social Planning and Research Council of BC (SPARC BC) Homeless Count 2005 (PDF) reports that:

• Aboriginal people are significantly over-represented among the Greater Vancouver region’s homeless at 30% compared to their share of the population at 2%.
• There were proportionally more women among the Aboriginal homeless population at 35% than the non-Aboriginal population at 27%.
• The over-representation of Aboriginal people among the homeless is not reflected in the existing distribution of Aboriginal-run homeless services and emergency accommodations
• Aboriginal people were highest among the street homeless (37 or 34% of the total street homeless) and smallest among the sheltered homeless (158 people or 23%).
• People who live in poverty or single parent homes, or have low educational attainment are more likely to live in poor housing conditions or be homeless. Aboriginal people are over-represented in all of these categories, so therefore are at greater risk of homelessness.

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Who’s Involved?

Vancouver Native Housing Society (1726 East Hastings Street)

• Owns and operates 13 housing complexes in the Eastside of Vancouver. There are 10 family, two single and one Elders/Seniors building.
• 482 units including 35 unit Elders building and 2 Singles buildings with a total of 136 units
• Offers some social programs to tenants when funding is available, such as an Elders/Youth program, after school programs, and resource centre.

United Native Nations - Swiw' Lus Lam' Chit Youth Housing (East Vancouver)

• Eight apartments for Aboriginal youth aged 18 – 25.

Luma Native Housing Society (25 West 6th Avenue)

• Operates 10 housing complexes, most of which they own, 235 total units.
• Host agency for the Federal SCPI funding for Aboriginal Homelessness.

Urban Native Youth Association (1640 East Hastings Street)

• Seven bed safehouse for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal youth aged 13 – 18 (max. 7 days).
• 5 bed transition house for Aboriginal young women aged 17 – 24 who are leaving street life.

Synala Housing Co-op (3090 Kingsway)

• 40 unit townhouse development with a mandate and special funding to ensure at least 51% of the units house Aboriginal people.

Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre (1607 East Hastings Street)

• Emergency Cold/Wet Weather Shelter.
• During extreme cold weather only.

Helping Spirit Lodge Society (3965 Dumfries Street)

• A first-stage transition house for abused and battered women and children. Housing is provided for a maximum 30 days.
• A supportive and holistic long-term residential program for Aboriginal women and children. Housing is provided for up to 18 months.

Aboriginal Mothers Centre (2019 Dundas Street)

• Emergency Cold/Wet Weather Shelter (during extreme cold weather only).

Circle of Eagles Lodge Society (1470 East Broadway)

• Anderson Lodge Women’s Shelter assists and educates homeless women by providing a safe nurturing environment that encourages positive changes and builds inner strength.

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Partnerships

• A number of Aboriginal non-market housing projects were developed on land leased by the City at a subsidized rate.

Committees

• Aboriginal Homelessness Steering Committee is a community based committee that makes policy and funding decisions for the urban Aboriginal component of the Federal Supportive Community Partnerships Initiative (SCPI).

Trends

• Most of the 23 Native housing buildings were built in the 1980-90s with very few being built in recent years.
• As Social Assistance becomes harder to qualify for, and rental rates increase in Vancouver, more Aboriginal people will become virtually or actually homeless.

Gaps

• None of the Aboriginal housing organizations has an official strategy to encourage and support youth who are living independently. Partnerships could be developed with youth-serving organizations to identify and develop strategies that will help to support youth who are transitioning to adulthood or living independently to do it successfully.
• Since the Urban Native Youth Association ceased operations of the Native Youth Hostel, there are no Aboriginal specific shelters other than the emergency extreme weather shelters that are operated for only a few days each year.
• Other than Helping Spirit Lodge’s Spirit Way, there are no 2nd stage housing projects that can help Aboriginal people who are transitioning from emergency programs, alcohol or drug treatment, incarceration, or an abusive relationship to help them learn the skills necessary to live independently successfully.

Contact Information
Addresses, phone, fax, email, and website information for any of the organizations above can be found in the Contact Information section of this manual.

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