The Mayor’s Task Force on Homelessness has presented its final report on how the City of Fredericton can help increase affordable housing options and end long-term, persistent homelessness in the community.
The task force developed 18 evidence-based recommendations for City Council to consider as a way to meet goals set in The Road Home, a community-based plan to end sustained homelessness in Fredericton developed by the Community Action Group on Homelessness in 2015.
“Paving the Road Home”
The task force recommendations include:
About the Task Force
In November 2016, Mayor Mike O’Brien commissioned the Task Force on Homelessness, bringing together community leaders in a number of disciplines including architects, designers, builders, private, non-profit and public-sector property developers, non-profit associations, those with lived experience, apartment owners, and academics. The task force’s mandate was to recommend to Council immediate and long-term actions within the City’s jurisdiction and ability to help advance the goals of The Road Home, the strategic plan to end chronic homelessness in Fredericton.
The task force leadership team included:
The task force developed 18 evidence-based recommendations for City Council to consider as a way to meet goals set in The Road Home, a community-based plan to end sustained homelessness in Fredericton developed by the Community Action Group on Homelessness in 2015.
“Paving the Road Home”
- Executive Summary (PDF)
- Report (PDF)
- Appendix (PDF)
The task force recommendations include:
- Reducing parking requirements for Housing First construction where appropriate to decrease development cost and increase the land available for purposes that better meet community needs.
- Donating or leasing surplus city-owned remnant properties where appropriate for Housing First developments.
- Amending the definition of “assisted living” to include “permanent supportive/supported housing” to avoid the necessity of rezoning and allow churches to more easily build Housing First developments on their own land.
- Providing Housing First participants with subsidized bus passes to increase access to health and social supports and opportunities for education and employment.
- Conducting an analysis of best practices and regulatory structures for rooming houses.
- Raising awareness about the broad community benefits of affordable housing and Housing First through a ‘Yes in My Backyard’ education campaign.
- Exploring the viability of creating an Affordable Housing Land Trust under the municipal structure.
- Conducting a process improvement strategy to make it easier for non-profits to participate in affordable housing development.
About the Task Force
In November 2016, Mayor Mike O’Brien commissioned the Task Force on Homelessness, bringing together community leaders in a number of disciplines including architects, designers, builders, private, non-profit and public-sector property developers, non-profit associations, those with lived experience, apartment owners, and academics. The task force’s mandate was to recommend to Council immediate and long-term actions within the City’s jurisdiction and ability to help advance the goals of The Road Home, the strategic plan to end chronic homelessness in Fredericton.
The task force leadership team included:
- Mayor Mike O’Brien: Task Force Co-Chair
- Coun. Eric Price: Task Force Co-Chair and Chair of the City of Fredericton Affordable Housing Committee
- Jennifer Landry: Chair of the Flows Working Group
- Sandi MacKinnon: Chair of the Partnerships Working Group
- John Leroux: Chair of the Form Working Group
- Coun. John McDermid and Jason LeJeune: Co-chairs of the Finance Working Group