Population-specific Housing Reports

Locating and retaining housing that meets the range of needs of a person living with mental illness can be a significant challenge. While independent living is appropriate for many people living with mental illness, it is not appropriate for all. Some people need regular and daily supports to maintain good mental health. With that diversity of housing needs in mind, this study seeks to identify specific gaps in housing for people living with mental illness; and to develop a practical inventory of appropriate supportive and non-supportive housing in the city of Edmonton as a significant resource for clients, family members, support workers and community agencies.

The reasons for tenancy failure are multi-faceted and complex. This paper examines a number of those reasons and identifies policy solutions and best practices which contribute to reduce the incidence of tenancy failure.

This study explores the meaning of independent living as perceived by women living with concurrent disorders. It provides an understanding of how community receptivity and support assists in gaining or maintaining independent living; explores the critical factors of success in gaining independent living; and explains how the Cornerstone Apartment Program has helped participants in achieving this goal.

There are five federal institutions in Edmonton, another federal institution that releases into Edmonton, a Remand Centre, and a Provincial Centre in a suburb near Edmonton. The consequence of being home to, or near to, these institutions is that, post-incarceration, a high number of offenders tend to settle in the Edmonton area. The implications for housing-related issues and challenges to reintegration are significant. Although research specific to the Edmonton area is lacking, other research suggests that the first 90 days after release is the critical period that can ‘make or break’ the offender’s reintegration effort.

To better understand the effects of housing instability and mobility on children’s development, the Center for Housing Policy looked at the mobility patterns of low-income families and how children in these families fare over time. The research findings suggest that low-income families are more likely to experience disruption of a residential move than are families in other socio-economic groups. The findings speak to the importance of housing programs that enable low-income families to maintain affordable, high-quality housing in safe and amenity-rich neighbourhoods.