Indigenous Housing Advocate

The Indigenous Housing Advocate supports the Indigenous community who are homeless or at risk of homelessness though the entire process of ensuring that Indigenous individuals and families succeed in securing their preferred housing, by providing simple, coordinated and consistent access to programs. The Advocate will ensure supports are available when needed, to act on what is important to the individual/family receiving services, to assist the individual/family in succeeding in their preferred housing.

The Advocate will adhere to the Windsor Essex 10 year Housing and Homelessness Plan Housing First Service Model Strategies and will meet the Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative(CHPI) objectives.

The AHA will carry out the following goals:
1. Support Indigenous Individuals/families experiencing homelessness to obtain and maintain housing.
2. Support Indigenous Individuals/families at risk of homelessness to remain in housing.

Windsor Essex Housing Connections(WEHC) Team
The Indigenous Housing Advocate is part of the mobile team focused on providing long term supports to people where they are at their journeys.
-Wellness is priority with increased housing stability and decreased homelessness
-Systemic Integration is required to fully meet peoples needs
-Quality of Service Focus

A Team Of Experts
-Regular home visits by Housing Team Members to ensure the tenant is on track and the unit is maintained. Housing Support Workers work on an ongoing basis to ensure the tenant is stabilized in their new home and able to maintain their unit.
-A Skilled and Responsive team to respond to any issue that may arise. Ensuring that landlord’s as well as tenant’s rights and responsibilities are respected and problems are resolved quickly and impartially.
-Provide Landlords with information on current legislation, lease agreements, and more.
-Someone to call when you have concerns regarding tenant issues. It can be reassuring to know that someone can be reached 24 hours a day.

-Landlord/Developers. Advocate/mediate when necessary. Assist with prevention of evictions when/if needed.

What is Housing First?
Housing First is a people centered approach that places the highest priority on retaining and attaining permanent housing as quickly as possible and then providing supports necessary to keep their housing.

ELIGIBILITY
Requirements:
-Citizenship Status
-Recidivism(repeating) is Evident
-Housing Help Options Exhausted
-Avoid Duplication of Services
-Chronic Experiences of Homelessness

Likely a Referral if..
-Discharged from Incarceration in the past year
-Discharged from ER twice in past year
-Discharged from Hospital Psychiatric Unit
-Received a Mental Health Diagnosis
-Referring staff has evidence for concerns regarding Mental Health
-Accessed Detox/Rehab Services
-Evidence of struggle to maintain housing

REFERRAL PROCESS-WEHC
(Windsor Essex Housing Connections)
Centralized Access Line
1-888-933-1831
Faxed Referral
51-256-5258
Emailed(Scanned) Referral
info@fswe.ca

Partnerships:
Family Services Windsor Essex(FSWE)
519-366-5010
Housing Information Services(HIS)
519-254-4824
ACCESS
519-733-8983

Community Services:
Southwest Ontario Indigenous Health Access Centre(SOAHAC)
1-844-737-0725
Can-Am Urban Native Homes
519-977-7782
Metis Nation of Windsor-Essex
519-948-9908
Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation(CHC)
519-254-1681 ext. 3030
Central Housing Registry(CHR)
519-254-6994
Employment and Social Services
519-255-5600