The Steps Along the Way

Milestones 

  1. By 2014, 1,800 people who are chronically and episodically homeless will obtain and maintain housing.
  2. By 2014, ensure that no more than 10 percent of those served by Housing First programs return to homelessness.
  3. By December 2014, all individuals who engage in rough sleeping will have access to housing and support options appropriate to their needs.
  4. By 2018, eliminate 85 percent of 2010 emergency shelter beds (a 1,700 bed reduction). At minimum, a 600 bed reduction should be achieved by 2014.
  5. By December 2014, reduce the average length of stay in family emergency shelters to 14 days and to seven days by January 29, 2018.
  6. By January 29, 2018, reduce the maximum average stay in an emergency shelter to less than seven days. By that point, anyone in an emergency shelter will be rapidly moved into permanent housing.


Breaking 10 Years into Three Phases

Phase 1: 2008 - 2010 

During the first three years the community came together to create rapid, visible and meaningful change. It started with an agreement to shift from managing homelessness to ending homelessness. This led to a large infusion of resources from both the public and private sector. These resources were used to:

  • fund much more affordable housing;
  • introduce innovative programs to relieve the immediate pressure on the system; and
  • provide housing and support to more than 2,300 Calgarians.

Agencies began to work together more and the Housing First approach proved successful. There was also an opportunity to better understand homelessness in Calgary, as a way to guide the next phase of the Plan.

Phase 2: 2011 - 2014

Building on the momentum of the first three years, now is the time to make the deeper, long-term changes to the homeless-serving system. This means that over the next three years, the community's goal will be to make deeper system changes, filling in critical gaps, working with larger institutional systems and adjusting based on a better understanding of the system. There will be more emphasis on preventing homelessness, advocating for long-term policy changes and ensuring limited resources go to the most vulnerable.

Phase 3: 2015 - 2018

The final years of the Plan will be fine-tuning, making the adjustments necessary to complete and sustain success. In all likelihood, this will include an "evergreen" plan, which transfers more of the leadership into the community. In the final years there will be an ongoing maintenance plan to ensure the infrastructure is sufficient to the needs of those becoming homeless.