The Affordable Housing Action Network is a growing group of individuals and
organizations who want to make a difference. The AHAN's mission is:
To create more affordable housing options for people who are precariously housed
or homeless using a variety of approaches including collaborative networking,
housing development, capacity building and advocacy.
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the Mission,
Vision and Values for AHAN
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how to
become a member
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how the AHAN
is organized
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meeting
agendas and notes
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meeting
notices
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press
releases
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link to the
"Boxed In: The Affordable Housing Crisis in Hastings County"
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links to
other sites of interest
On National Housing Strategy Day in November 2002, community members resolved
that a coordinated community response to homelessness and the need for
affordable housing was needed. The newly formed Housing Working Group (HWG) met
to figure out how to help the community move forward on this complex issue of
homelessness. The formation of the HWG reflected a unique and ground-breaking
partnership between very diverse organizations who developed new ways of working
together. The legal clinic was one of the original partners along with the Three
Oaks women's shelter, Youth Hab Quinte and the Hastings County Social Services
Department.
The HWG met at least monthly for more than a year to lay the groundwork for an
innovative, creative and groundbreaking collaborative participatory action
research project in Hastings County. This project was called the ‘Hastings
County Affordable Housing Research Project.’
The Research Project provided an exceptional opportunity to identify the needs
and causes of homelessness and understand the “face of homelessness” in small
urban and rural communities. In addition to exploring the needs and difficulties
of people who met the traditional definition of being homeless, the research
process ensured that we learned more about people who were ‘precariously housed’
and at risk of losing their homes. We wanted to both gather information that
could assist in prevention and build community capacity to respond appropriately
and creatively to the challenges presented.
The survey results provided compelling evidence of the extent of the
homelessness and affordable housing crisis in Hastings County. The amount of
“invisible” homelessness (persons who have no place of their own but are not
staying on the streets or in a shelter) in Hastings County, was startling. More
than 100 respondents, representing almost 300 persons, self-identified as
homeless and 51% of those respondents further reported that there were other
times in the past when they did not have a place of their own. Among the housed,
one-third of respondents, 239 households, reported that during the past 3 years
they needed to stay with friends, family or in a shelter because they had no
home of their own.
The Report "Boxed In: The Affordable Housing Crisis in Hastings County"
released in April 2005 provided detailed community, demographic and survey
information. The researchers in collaboration with the HWG, following community
forums and consultations developed an
Action Plan to inform the community's future work around homelessness.
The AHAN now carries forward the Action Plan through it's Task Forces and
committees. Visit their
website for a list of the Task Forces, committees and projects
currently underway.
The report is available from the AHAN website at
http://www.hastingshousing.com/ahan/ahan_archive_reports.cfm (scroll to
bottom).
You can also view or download a copy
from the
Hastings County website (housing
page).
Clinic staff have extensive experience in dealing with people who are homeless
or precariously housed because of our poverty law practice. This has enabled us
to have a very broad perspective on the issue - and the factors that contribute
to homelessness. In 2001 clinic staff wrote the report "Beyond Bandaids: A
Community Response to Homelessness" in 2001 that recommended amongst many
other things that:
"a forum be created in our community so that local people can meet to discuss
the need for advocacy, education and exploration of issues of homelessness, and
the need for safe, adequate and affordable housing".
Clinic staff have been deeply involved in all the work that has led up to the
creation of AHAN. As an original member of the Housing Working Group, the clinic
has provided many in kind contributions and staff time to support the creation
of AHAN and obtain funding for staff support for AHAN.
Click here for a copy of this report
(PDF format, 50 pgs, 1 mb) originally released
in 2002 that provided the impetus for the community's formation of the AHAN. It
also examines several systemic causes for homelessness or less than adequate
housing. It was followed in 2004 by another report called "Observations from the
Front Lines" which is not yet publicly available.
This site provides general information only,
specific to Ontario, Canada. It is
NOT legal advice. 
