Affordable Housing Action Network
October 6, 2010
Ms Trish Trainor, A/Director
Community Based Delivery
Labour Market and Social Development Programs
Service Canada
25 St. Clair E, 4th floor
Toronto, OntarioM4T 1M2
Dear Ms Trainor:
The Affordable Housing Action Network (AHAN) would like to take this opportunity to express its concerns over the possibility of the discontinuation of the federal homelessness funding beyond March 31, 2011. In communications with our Community Advisory Board for the City of Belleville, it is our Networks understanding that there has been no commitment to date as to whether funds will continue beyond the fiscal year.
AHAN is a consortium of more than 100 community stakeholders representing all areas of HastingsCounty including the City of Belleville and the City of Quinte West. Our Network works towards finding affordable housing solutions through advocacy, bricks and mortar, and information sharing.
Our community has benefited from the funds allocated to the City of Belleville in that three transitional homes and one supportive housing unit were established. Many homeless and at risk of homelessness individuals and families have been serviced through the HPS funding and we as a community are grateful for this.
Like many other communities, we have opted to take an optimistic approach and assume that the federal government will respect the wishes of stakeholders that are outlined in the report, entitled “What We’ve Heard”, on the federal consultations that was held in 2009 and will recommit to HPS with longer timeframes and increased funding levels.
As noted in the federal consultations report, communities need longer timelines to properly conduct community planning. With less than 5 months left in the HPS program,
AHAN has committed time and discussion surrounding the need to revise the Belleville Community Plan. The AHAN Steering Committee will work in conjunction with the Community Advisory Board and go back to the community in order to identify what the current needs are.
To accomplish this goal, this will take a great deal of time and energy for AHAN, the CAB and the community. It is also noted that we do not have additional funds to complete this planning process so we will rely on experts in the field of community development to help us with this process. The Affordable Housing Action Network will use a simple format for our planning process in hopes that the HPS will not surprise communities with a mandatory template as before.
We are in the planning phases of our review and hope to be able to start working with our community in January and February to have our plan completed by March. Considering the timelines of our community planning process, we would appreciate any insight as to the future of HPS as soon as possible. Please feel free to contact me.
Yours truly,
Gina L. Cockburn
AHAN Steering Committee
613 966 8686 ext 34
c. Affordable Housing Action Network
c. Nick Mullhall, Senior Development Officer, Labour Market & Social Development Programs Branch
S:\General\Projects (current)\Hastings County Affordable Housing Action Network (see subfiles)\Hastings County AHAN Steering Committee (GC)\2010\CMHC comm plan ltr 2010 10 06.doc