The City of Red Deer will work in partnership with community and government partners to build and implement a responsive, sustainable, and well-performing housing and homelessness response system that is informed by evidence-based research and best practice.

The Community Housing & Homelessness Integrated Plan replaces Everyone's Home - 5 Year Plan to End Homelessness, and captures key learnings from the past ten years of research and action, combined with over 2,700 community voices. The Plan reflects on where the community has been, what the current situation looks like, and projects our future needs.

For more information please refer to the CHHIP 5-year Integrated Plan (pdf) and the CHHIP Technical Report (pdf).

Red Deer is one of the few communities across Canada that has a plan to end homelessness.

Introduction

Red Deer’s vision is to end homelessness in our community by 2018. EveryOne's Home: Red Deer's Five Year Plan to End Homelessness 2014 to 2018 (pdf) is the second of two five year plans intended to tackle this monumental task. The first plan was designed to guide our work until 2014; while this second plan maps the framework until 2018.

Purpose of the Plan

To end homelessness in Red Deer by 2018.

Since homelessness itself is a very complex issue, it will require an equally dynamic and multi-faceted response. Unfortunately, some vulnerable individuals will continue to encounter circumstances that may cause them to become homeless or to be at major risk of homelessness. That said, we will be successful in ending homelessness in Red Deer when we have a system of care that can effectively and efficiently:

• prevent/divert vulnerable individuals from becoming homeless.
• ensure those who are homeless have permanent, appropriate housing and the supports they require within 28 days of presenting for services within the system.

Vision and Framework on Ending Homelessness

Prior to the creation of the five year plans came the report titled, "EveryOne's Home Vision and Framework on Ending Homelessness by 2018 (pdf) which articulates a vision and framework to end homelessness in the city of Red Deer. Starting with a message from the Mayor and introduction, the report goes on to discuss homelessness in Red Deer, the workings of The Mayor’s Task Force and priorities areas for ending homelessness in Red Deer.

The City of Red Deer is the community-based organization (CBO) for the provincial Outreach Support Services Initiative (OSSI) and the community entity (CE) for the federal Reaching Home (RH) grant. 

Service agreements outline the terms upon which OSSI and RH funding is provided, the types of services to be delivered, and how The City of Red Deer through its Safe & Healthy Communities department will work with providers to ensure the delivery of quality and effective services for those experiencing homelessness in Red Deer.

Government of Alberta – Outreach & Support Services Initiatives 
Government of Canada – Reaching Home

The Reaching Home Community Homelessness Report (pdf) summarizes the efforts made in Red Deer in the period of April 1, 2022 – March 31, 2023 in order to meet the Reaching Home requirements for both Coordinated Access and the Homelessness Management Information System.

Heading Home: The 2017/2018 Annual Report on Red Deer’s Homelessness Services Delivery (pdf)  is an insight into the individuals who have received help through the various programs, as well as how these programs are able to continue through funding and the dedicated people who have made them successful. 

states that we will be successful in ending homelessness in Red Deer when we have a system of care that can effectively and efficiently:

• Prevent/divert vulnerable individuals from becoming homeless, or
• Ensure those who are homeless have permanent, appropriate housing and the supports they require within 28 days of presenting for services within the system.

We invite you to look our annual report and learn:

• How many vulnerable individuals have been housed.
• How successful the programs have been in reaching their funding outcomes.
• New programs that came on board this year.
• Future programs and initiatives.

Related Links

• Point in Time Homeless Count
• The Experience of Homelessness in Red Deer
• From Homeless to Housed: 2016-2017 Annual Report on Red Deer's Homelessness Initiatives (pdf)
• Closer to Home: 2015/2016 Annual Report on Red Deer’s Homelessness Initiatives (pdf)
• 2014-2015 Report to the Community: Homeless Initiatives (pdf)
• Report to the Community: Homelessness & Affordable Housing Initiatives 2013-2014 (pdf)
• Report to the Community: Homelessness & Affordable Housing Initiatives 2012-2013 (pdf)

The Housing Options Framework 2014 (pdf) identifies sufficient housing options to meet the diverse and changing needs of our community members, increasing the stock of permanent affordable housing options for all people.

In early 2014, the Red Deer and District Community Foundation retained OrgCode Consulting, Inc. to provide an analysis of the extent to which the current housing inventory meets the needs of target groups and assess future housing needs and determine the housing shortfall, including an analysis of gaps that currently exist for groups including seniors, immigrants, families and youth. As well, this framework evaluates the implications of The City of Red Deer’s existing housing and land use policies, assesses how these policies fit with provincial housing objectives, and provides recommendations around how The City of Red Deer might implement promising housing and land use policies and provides recommendations for key city stakeholders to meet the needs of target groups utilizing a long-term monitoring framework.