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Thursday, February 26, 2015 - The IFP - H alton H ills - w w w .theifp.ca Page 3 e-mail: hassellsauto@bellnet.ca www.hassellautomotive.com CALL 45 Mountainview Road North Georgetown, Ontario 905.877.7958 2010 Nissan Altima S • Auto/4 cyl • Certified & E-tested • A/C • Power Door Locks • Power Windows/Mirrors • Cruise Control $13,600 + HST/LIC 2009 Hyundai Sonata $7,500 + HST/LIC • Auto/4 cyl • Certified & E-tested • A/C • Power Steering • Driver/Passenger Airbags • Cruise Control Warranty + HST/LIC $10,300 2007 Hyundai Sante Fe GL • Auto/6 cyl Certified & E-Tested • A/C • Sunroof/Moonroof • Heated/Leather Seats • Cruise Control WarrantyWarranty NEWS It's a decision no mother would ever want to be faced with; a choice between keeping a roof over her kids' heads in a household that's not fit for children, or facing the dire alternative of living on the streets. Such was the dilemma for *Sarah, a Halton Hills single mother who knows too much about the grim reality of homelessness for her young age. The 28-year-old had already lived on the streets in Hamilton with her boyfriend when she was five months pregnant. "He told me he found us a house in Hamilton, so I went and there was no house. All the shelters were full and we had no money to get back here. We slept on the streets for a good two months, under stairwells and in lob- bies," she said. "We had to use a soup truck. It gave you one meal a deal day, and it wasn't very good, but you ate it anyway." Fast forward a few years and she was almost in the same position again. Back in Halton Hills and separated from her boyfriend, she and her two children had nowhere to go, so she turned to family to take them in. "But it ended up being very stressful there, and it just wasn't a good environ- ment for my children," she said. "So it was either we could be on the streets, or stay in this bad situation and most likely have my children taken away." With no housing in her price range and the real threat of homelessness looming, Sarah called Links2Care to discuss shelter options. The commu- nity support organization ultimately helped put a roof over Sarah's head with one of its subsidized housing units in Halton Hills, a two-bedroom apartment. Sadly, Sarah isn't alone. In fact, she's among dozens of other adults in the community who've recently either been homeless or come close to it. Ac- cording to Links2Care, 72 adults in Hal- ton Hills were homeless or at risk of be- coming homeless last year; a number that's up from 59 in 2013. "Many more are in a precarious housing situation, but not necessar- ily counted in any statistics," said Kathy Gerrow, Links2Care's community sup- port program co-ordinator. "A lack of affordable housing and poverty put many people at risk of homelessness, and a job loss or illness can easily put people in a situation where they can't pay their rent or utilities and then their housing stability is in jeopardy."   So where does one turn when they're faced with having nowhere to live, particularly with children in tow? "In the summer, people who are homeless will often live in a camp- ground, trailer park or vehicle, but this option is obviously not available in the winter," said Gerrow. "People with chil- dren need to find a place to live that's affordable for them, so no matter what time of the year it is, they'll have to find somewhere to stay, even if it is tempo- rary. Sometimes families will split up and go to various places to live until they find permanent housing, which can be very stressful and disruptive."  In Halton Hills, Links2Care has three subsidized housing units that are well used by families in need; they're al- ways full and often having a waiting list. Families fleeing abusive situations are referred to Halton Women's Place in Milton, said Gerrow, while single people who need emergency housing are left with the option of travelling to Oakville to the Lighthouse Shelter, or even outside of Halton to shelters in Peel, Guelph and Hamilton. The dis- tant location of these shelters presents a challenge in itself, she said. "Someone with a job in Georgetown with no vehicle wouldn't be able to get from Oakville to work every day since there's no available public transit." She added, "Also, some people will not go to a shelter because they have a pet and can't take it with them. In many cases the pet is their only loving con- nection in the world." According to Gerrow, there are two key factors that put local residents at risk of homelessness: low incomes and high housing costs. The majority of her clients rely on nominal income through social assis- tance, either receiving just over $600 a month through Ontario Works or ap- proximately $1,000 a month from the Ontario Disability Support Program. But with the average rent in Halton Hills for even the most basic of apart- ments costing upwards of $1,000, it's easy to see where the struggle begins. "Some people are paying close to 100 per cent of their income for rent. Then they have to rely on food banks and Food for Life just to get by. That's very challenging," said Gerrow. Most of the single adults that Links- 2Care assists are also coping with a dis- ability that prevents them from work- ing, meaning they'll be relying on a low fixed income from the government for the foreseeable future. Those who are able to work also run into roadblocks, said Gerrow, such as a lack of local employment opportunities and public transportation. For Sarah, who's now a mother of three, there are additional hurdles to overcome before she can get back into the workforce. "It's hard to find a job without an education, and I can't afford to pay for it, and Ontario Works doesn't pay for it," she said. On the housing front, Sarah is also facing yet another challenge. She and her children are quickly outgrowing the two-bedroom apartment that Links- 2Care provided, leaving her with the daunting task of finding a larger place to stay that she can afford. "They only give you so much on Ontario Works. I can't even find a three bedroom place for the price I need," she said. "I've applied for subsidized hous- ing, but it's a long wait. It's been a year already." Currently there are 342 subsidized housing units in Halton Hills that are managed through the Halton Access to Community Housing program. The wait time for these units is "variable and difficult to predict," said Halton Commissioner of Social and Commu- nity Services Sheldon Wolfson, adding it's impacted by factors such as apart- ment turnover rates and how many buildings an individual selects in their application. The Region offers other resources that residents can turn to when they're facing a situation like Sarah's. A new initiative called Halton Housing Help provides a free rental listing service, along with telephone and one-on-one support to help meet individuals' hous- ing needs. The Region also has a Housing Sta- bility Fund that residents can access to help with expenses such as first and last month's rent, moving costs and rental arrears. "Our mantra around homelessness is to prevent it in the first place," said Wolfson. "We would rather do things to keep people housed. It's a lot easier than finding a new place for them." For Gerrow and Sarah, the answer to ending homelessness lies in building more affordable housing and increas- ing the financial supports available for those in need. "Ontario Works needs to raise the amount of money it gives to families, even if it means making stricter rules for it," said Sarah. "I've been on Ontario Works for almost eight years now and I haven't gotten ahead at all. I'd like to get an education and a good job. I want all of the stuff that everybody else has, but it's hard when you can't get help to get ahead. Something needs to be done." If you or someone you know is homeless or at risk of becoming home- less, contact Gerrow at 519-853-3310 or Halton Region at 311. *Name has been changed to protect identity. High cost of housing can lead to homelessness By Melanie Hennessey Special to The IFP There are two key factors that put local residents at risk of homelessness: low incomes and high housing costs.