Huron Heart to Home

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What is Huron Heart to Home?

Huron Heart to Home is comprised of County of Huron staff who work with many community partners to prevent and address homelessness in Huron County. These staff connect people to community, local organizations, and resources that can help a person access long-term housing.


We're working together to prevent and address homelessness in Huron County.

People experiencing homelessness and those at high risk of becoming homeless are individual people, each with unique experiences and challenges that require an individualized response. Responding to homelessness is not just about providing housing, it requires relationship and trust building and often means addressing complex issues including past traumas, mental illness or substance use.

For these reasons, addressing homelessness requires an integrated system of support and care strategies that are provided by multiple organizations and agencies working together using a Housing First strategy, the primary goal of Huron Heart to Home.

The County of Huron is Built for Zero Community that has achieved a Quality By-Name List from the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.


Be Part of the Solution!

What we're doing to Be Part of the Solution:

The County of Huron is working with many other local groups and organizations to prevent and address homelessness in our community. Here’s how:

  • The Stability Team are specially trained staff who work directly with people in crisis. These caring professionals help connect people who are homeless, or who are at risk of becoming homeless, with the various services and supports they require such as a safe place to sleep, food, hygiene products, warm clothing, healthcare services, and more.
  • The County of Huron partners with multiple organizations to fund and/or deliver Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing.
  • The Enumeration Project is a week long event, that takes place every two years, where people in Huron County who are experiencing homelessness can add their names to a list to be identified and counted. In addition, a By-Name List is regularly maintained that provides real-time data on those experiencing homelessness in the community at any given time. Through this data collection process, staff become more aware of who and how many people in our community need supportive services. The process enables homelessness to be tracked to see if it is growing or shrinking over time.
  • Utilizing the data collected from the Enumeration Project and By-Name List, County of Huron staff lead a Huron County Homelessness Coordinated Access System. This system ensures that local organizations can better work together to effectively address the specific needs of those experiencing homelessness within the community.
  • There are many myths and falsehoods about homelessness. The County of Huron’s Communication Team makes sure that people in Huron County have access to facts, data, and learning resources that help people understand the difference between what’s true and what’s not.
  • The County of Huron runs many Prevention Programs that are designed to stop people from becoming homeless. Some of these programs include owning and operating 415 rent-geared-to-income apartment units, as well as a variety of programs for both landlords and tenants.
  • Sometimes the best way to stop a person from becoming homeless is with Financial Support that can help them pay for the things they need so that they can continue to afford to live in their current home. The County of Huron works with other levels of government to deliver financial aid programs, such as Housing Allowances, Ontario Works, and the Canada Ontario Housing Benefit.
  • We’re building more affordable housing. The County of Huron is increasing its affordable housing inventory through new Housing Developments.
  • The County of Huron’s Planning department is addressing the community’s need for more affordable housing by Promoting and Permitting More Dense Housing Developments. For example, Additional Residential Units are permitted to be added to existing residential properties; this helps to create units which are more affordable.


How you can help Be Part of the Solution:

1. Become informed and don’t spread false information.

There are many myths and falsehoods around the topic of homelessness and how people can become homeless. Learning more about homelessness and housing instability can help increase understanding. Explore the resources found at the end of this page for more information.

2. Speak up! Advocate for those experiencing homelessness, hurt and hunger in your community.

Sadly, people facing homelessness are often subject to various forms of discrimination. Poverty, physical and mental health, and substance use concerns are not reasons to deny a person’s fundamental right to housing without discrimination as protected under Ontario’s Human Rights Code.

If you hear inflammatory language or witness discriminatory actions, speak up! Advocate for those in the community who may be more vulnerable. If you’re unsure if a statement is valid or discriminatory, try taking the cringe test, found on HuronCounty.ca/housing

3. Welcome Supportive and Affordable Housing in your community.

To Be Part of the Solution it is essential to welcome affordable housing developments in your own neighbourhood. It takes an entire community, including multiple levels of government, many stakeholders, neighbourhoods, and the public to create a welcoming atmosphere for housing that improves life for everyone in our community.

4. Consider donating locally.

Consider donating to a local agency that’s meaningful to you and supports our community’s most vulnerable citizens, such as emergency shelters, food banks, clothing drop offs, and more.

5. Participate in local events that support vulnerable people.

Events like The Coldest Night of the Year are a great way to get involved. The Coldest Night of the Year is a fun, family-friendly fundraising walk that supports local non profit partners who provide essential care and service for people experiencing homelessness, hurt, and hunger. Learn more: www.cnoy.org

Click here to earn more about Huron's Be Part of the Solution campaign


Learn more about homelessness and housing insecurity with these resources

Huron County Housing

huroncounty.ca/social-services/housing/#homelessness

2022 Housing and Homelessness Annual Report

https://www.huroncounty.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2022_Housing_and_Homelessness_Annual_Report.pdf

Take the Cringe Test

huroncounty.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/CringeTest.pdf

2021 Enumeration Report

https://www.huroncounty.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/EveryoneCounts_2021Enumeration.pdf

2021 Report to the Community on Homelessness Infographic

huroncounty.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Report-to-the-Community.pdf

Perth-Huron United Way: Unignorable

perthhuron.unitedway.ca/unignorable-issues/#unignorable-homelessness

Ontario Housing Strategy

ontario.ca/housingstrategy

Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness

https://caeh.ca/

Built For Zero

https://bfzcanada.ca/

The Homelessness Hub

homelesshub.ca

Homelessness 101

homelesshub.ca/about-homelessness/homelessness-101/causes-homelessness

The Corporation of the County of Huron is dedicated to enhancing the social and economic well-being of Huron County through the creation and preservation of affordable housing.

The County supports an individual’s fundamental right to housing without discrimination as protected under Ontario’s Human Rights Code.

What is Huron Heart to Home?

Huron Heart to Home is comprised of County of Huron staff who work with many community partners to prevent and address homelessness in Huron County. These staff connect people to community, local organizations, and resources that can help a person access long-term housing.


We're working together to prevent and address homelessness in Huron County.

People experiencing homelessness and those at high risk of becoming homeless are individual people, each with unique experiences and challenges that require an individualized response. Responding to homelessness is not just about providing housing, it requires relationship and trust building and often means addressing complex issues including past traumas, mental illness or substance use.

For these reasons, addressing homelessness requires an integrated system of support and care strategies that are provided by multiple organizations and agencies working together using a Housing First strategy, the primary goal of Huron Heart to Home.

The County of Huron is Built for Zero Community that has achieved a Quality By-Name List from the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.


Be Part of the Solution!

What we're doing to Be Part of the Solution:

The County of Huron is working with many other local groups and organizations to prevent and address homelessness in our community. Here’s how:

  • The Stability Team are specially trained staff who work directly with people in crisis. These caring professionals help connect people who are homeless, or who are at risk of becoming homeless, with the various services and supports they require such as a safe place to sleep, food, hygiene products, warm clothing, healthcare services, and more.
  • The County of Huron partners with multiple organizations to fund and/or deliver Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing.
  • The Enumeration Project is a week long event, that takes place every two years, where people in Huron County who are experiencing homelessness can add their names to a list to be identified and counted. In addition, a By-Name List is regularly maintained that provides real-time data on those experiencing homelessness in the community at any given time. Through this data collection process, staff become more aware of who and how many people in our community need supportive services. The process enables homelessness to be tracked to see if it is growing or shrinking over time.
  • Utilizing the data collected from the Enumeration Project and By-Name List, County of Huron staff lead a Huron County Homelessness Coordinated Access System. This system ensures that local organizations can better work together to effectively address the specific needs of those experiencing homelessness within the community.
  • There are many myths and falsehoods about homelessness. The County of Huron’s Communication Team makes sure that people in Huron County have access to facts, data, and learning resources that help people understand the difference between what’s true and what’s not.
  • The County of Huron runs many Prevention Programs that are designed to stop people from becoming homeless. Some of these programs include owning and operating 415 rent-geared-to-income apartment units, as well as a variety of programs for both landlords and tenants.
  • Sometimes the best way to stop a person from becoming homeless is with Financial Support that can help them pay for the things they need so that they can continue to afford to live in their current home. The County of Huron works with other levels of government to deliver financial aid programs, such as Housing Allowances, Ontario Works, and the Canada Ontario Housing Benefit.
  • We’re building more affordable housing. The County of Huron is increasing its affordable housing inventory through new Housing Developments.
  • The County of Huron’s Planning department is addressing the community’s need for more affordable housing by Promoting and Permitting More Dense Housing Developments. For example, Additional Residential Units are permitted to be added to existing residential properties; this helps to create units which are more affordable.


How you can help Be Part of the Solution:

1. Become informed and don’t spread false information.

There are many myths and falsehoods around the topic of homelessness and how people can become homeless. Learning more about homelessness and housing instability can help increase understanding. Explore the resources found at the end of this page for more information.

2. Speak up! Advocate for those experiencing homelessness, hurt and hunger in your community.

Sadly, people facing homelessness are often subject to various forms of discrimination. Poverty, physical and mental health, and substance use concerns are not reasons to deny a person’s fundamental right to housing without discrimination as protected under Ontario’s Human Rights Code.

If you hear inflammatory language or witness discriminatory actions, speak up! Advocate for those in the community who may be more vulnerable. If you’re unsure if a statement is valid or discriminatory, try taking the cringe test, found on HuronCounty.ca/housing

3. Welcome Supportive and Affordable Housing in your community.

To Be Part of the Solution it is essential to welcome affordable housing developments in your own neighbourhood. It takes an entire community, including multiple levels of government, many stakeholders, neighbourhoods, and the public to create a welcoming atmosphere for housing that improves life for everyone in our community.

4. Consider donating locally.

Consider donating to a local agency that’s meaningful to you and supports our community’s most vulnerable citizens, such as emergency shelters, food banks, clothing drop offs, and more.

5. Participate in local events that support vulnerable people.

Events like The Coldest Night of the Year are a great way to get involved. The Coldest Night of the Year is a fun, family-friendly fundraising walk that supports local non profit partners who provide essential care and service for people experiencing homelessness, hurt, and hunger. Learn more: www.cnoy.org

Click here to earn more about Huron's Be Part of the Solution campaign


Learn more about homelessness and housing insecurity with these resources

Huron County Housing

huroncounty.ca/social-services/housing/#homelessness

2022 Housing and Homelessness Annual Report

https://www.huroncounty.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2022_Housing_and_Homelessness_Annual_Report.pdf

Take the Cringe Test

huroncounty.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/CringeTest.pdf

2021 Enumeration Report

https://www.huroncounty.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/EveryoneCounts_2021Enumeration.pdf

2021 Report to the Community on Homelessness Infographic

huroncounty.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Report-to-the-Community.pdf

Perth-Huron United Way: Unignorable

perthhuron.unitedway.ca/unignorable-issues/#unignorable-homelessness

Ontario Housing Strategy

ontario.ca/housingstrategy

Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness

https://caeh.ca/

Built For Zero

https://bfzcanada.ca/

The Homelessness Hub

homelesshub.ca

Homelessness 101

homelesshub.ca/about-homelessness/homelessness-101/causes-homelessness

The Corporation of the County of Huron is dedicated to enhancing the social and economic well-being of Huron County through the creation and preservation of affordable housing.

The County supports an individual’s fundamental right to housing without discrimination as protected under Ontario’s Human Rights Code.

Page last updated: 19 Jul 2023, 12:34 PM