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Group demands city re-establish housing – Metro US

Group demands city re-establish housing

A homeless advocacy group here is calling on council to do something about the city’s shortage of affordable housing.

In a letter delivered to city hall earlier this week, the Alliance to End Homelessness stated that Ottawa council must act immediately to regain its credibility after it approved the dismantling of the city’s affordable housing branch.

“The city has lobbied for a National Housing Strategy, but lacks a cohesive strategy of its own,” said Alliance to End Homelessness chairman Perry Rowe.

“We’re asking the city to reconsider what they’ve done in relation to pulling the housing branch apart,” said Rowe.

The city’s homelessness situation is not getting better, said Rowe.

In 2008, 7,045 individuals stayed in emergency shelters for an average of 51 days.

“There are up to 100 people in overflow in shelters per night,” said Rowe. “And the affordable housing units haven’t made any real progress last year.”