The "Nanaimo Health and Housing Action Plan (HHAP)" is a comprehensive five-year roadmap designed to significantly improve health and housing outcomes in Nanaimo, British Columbia. Developed by the Health and Housing Task Force (HHTF) in collaboration with HelpSeeker Technologies, the Plan addresses critical gaps in housing affordability, homelessness, mental health, substance use, and systemic inequities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Areas and Immediate Priorities:
Community Vision and Principles:
- Health and housing services should be accessible to everyone in Nanaimo, guided by principles emphasizing collective action, holistic approaches, proactive prevention, and systemic integration.
- The Plan emphasizes coordinated action, shared accountability, leadership, addressing root causes, and meaningful inclusion of lived experiences, especially from Indigenous populations.
Strategic Priorities:
- Truth & Reconciliation:
- Integrate Indigenous participation, leadership, and self-determination across all aspects of governance and implementation.
- Enhance cultural competence in services and increase awareness of Indigenous history and colonial impacts to improve community cohesion.
- Challenging Discrimination & Stigma:
- Implement community education and public campaigns to reduce stigma associated with homelessness, mental health, substance use, and poverty.
- System Coordination:
- Establish an Integrated Coordinated Access (ICA) system to streamline access to social services, ensuring equitable, efficient, and effective support for individuals experiencing complex health and housing needs.
- Diverse Housing Options:
- Expand housing solutions across the spectrum, emphasizing supportive housing options, particularly for populations with mental health, addiction challenges, disabilities, and chronic homelessness.
- Develop accessible, culturally-competent housing solutions for diverse populations, including Indigenous communities.
- Complex Needs Capability:
- Develop specialized, holistic interventions for residents facing intergenerational trauma, chronic homelessness, substance use, and severe mental health challenges.
- Poverty Reduction:
- Create comprehensive poverty reduction strategies aligned with provincial frameworks, prioritizing economic equity and long-term financial stability for vulnerable populations.
Investment Strategy:
- The immediate focus is securing $18.5 million to rapidly support 280 chronically homeless individuals through intensive outreach and permanent supportive housing models.
- The overall estimated investment totals $65.5 million over five years, aimed at supporting over 4,300 people through the creation of 635 new housing units and improved community services.
Community Engagement:
- Extensive consultation engaged over 300 diverse residents, including Indigenous communities, seniors, racialized individuals, LGBTQ2S+ populations, and people with lived experiences of homelessness.
- Feedback emphasized urgent action, service diversity, stigma reduction, community education, and system integration.
Governance and Accountability:
- Proposed establishment of a multi-stakeholder Governance Board, Coalition on Health & Housing, and dedicated Systems Planner Organization to oversee implementation, coordination, and ongoing community engagement.
- Indigenous participation, with a target of 51% representation, is prioritized across all governance bodies to ensure culturally appropriate leadership and decision-making.
The Nanaimo Health and Housing Action Plan represents a bold, collaborative commitment to systemic change, driving immediate action to improve quality of life, reduce homelessness, and create a resilient, inclusive, and equitable community.
Read Full Report:
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