As mentioned previously, no studies of homelessness have been conducted in the South Okanagan. However, a series of studies on homelessness have been conducted in other communities throughout British Columbia. Of particular interest for the purposes of this project were recent studies conducted in small and medium sized communities in the interior of British Columbia, the same macro region in which the South Okanagan is located. Four studies of interest were identified for this review. They were conducted in Nelson (Nelson’s Committee on Homelessness, 2002), the West Kootenays (Advocacy Center, 2002), Kelowna (Kelowna Steering Committee on Homelessness, 2001), and Kamloops (Blair, F., et al., 2001).

4.1) Research Methodology & Results

The Kelowna and West Kootenays studies both included face-to face interviews with homeless persons. The study in the West Kootenays utilized snowball and sequential sampling. The methodology utilized in Kelowna was not explicitly described. However, it appears that a similar approach was used. The survey in the West Kootenays included a sample of 121 persons and the survey in Kelowna included 360 persons. In Kelowna, two thirds of the sample was male, while the West Kootenays study had an even gender split. Those surveyed in the West Kootenays were slightly older on average, with the vast majority being between 35 and 53 years of age compared to Kelowna where the average age was 35 with the majority being between 17 and 40 years of age. In the West Kootenays, most of those surveyed appeared to be in the ‘at-risk’ population due to the fact that 78% were renting some kind of accommodation at the time of the study. In contrast, more than 40% of those surveyed in Kelowna were living on the streets or in an emergency shelter at the time of the study. The differences in ages and in living situation may be reflective of the fact that Kelowna is a younger and more urban centre, whereas the West Kootenays is a largely rural area and has a somewhat older general population. In the West Kootenays, more than 80% of respondents were in receipt of some form of government assistance (BC Benefits, EI, pension or disability benefits). Sources of income were not described in the Kelowna study.

The reasons described for not being able to secure stable housing were similar for both studies. Low income, a lack of affordable housing and a lack of employment opportunities were cited in the West Kootenays, while those in Kelowna cited not being able to afford rent, a lack of available or suitable housing, a lack of income and a lack of knowledge of places to stay. In Kelowna, those surveyed indicated that a lack of experience, a lack of skills and substance abuse were the primary reasons for not being able to secure stable employment.

The studies conducted in the cities of Nelson (2002) and Kamloops (2001) both utilized focus groups to gain an understanding of the needs and issues relating to homelessness. A total of 43 persons participated in focus groups in Kamloops. The number of persons who participated in Nelson was not described in the study. Those who participated in the focus groups in Kamloops were primarily male and between the ages of 30 and 50 years. Again, the characteristics of participants in Nelson were not described. In Kamloops, the regional prisons in the area were identified as a significant contributor to the number of homeless males. The primary issues that influenced or contributed to homeless in Kamloops were poverty, transience, mental health and substance abuse disorders, developmental disorders, brain injury or FASD, and involvement in the criminal justice system. In Nelson, the study concluded that 105 persons were seeking assistance for housing at the time of the study, with 75% of them living in unsafe or unsuitable housing. They estimated that 560 person were seeking or utilizing food assistance (e.g., food banks, free meals) at the time of the study.

4.2) Research Recommendations

All of the studies reviewed recommended or suggested a need for either affordable housing or emergency/short term housing. The studies in Kamloops and Kelowna suggested that housing or shelter initiatives should be targeted towards specific populations such as the elderly, women, persons with disabilities, persons released from prison, or aboriginal youth. In the West Kootenays, a reassessment of shelter rates and earnings exemptions, as well as efforts to increase community and individual awareness of housing issues, regulations and opportunities was suggested. Increased coordination of services, specifically around food distribution, was also a common theme in the recommendations or suggestions. In Kamloops, the idea of a ‘one-stop shopping’ concept for services targeted at the homeless population was discussed. The Nelson study recommended a centralized food distribution system be established. In Kelowna, a nutritional improvement program that would increase the coordination of existing food security programs was suggested. Reflective of the rural character of the community and the economic challenges faced in the West Kootenays, higher individual incomes through greater economic development opportunities and a reinvestment in support services was recommended. In Kelowna, the recommendations included hiring an outreach worker to target homeless persons and establishing a youth detoxification centre targeting the substance abuse issues that were identified in the study.

4.3) Conclusions

None of the studies reviewed attempted to do a census of homeless persons. A census approach was considered in several studies, but the difficulties in getting an accurate and reliable count were thought to be too great. While the focus groups did provide valuable information in the Kamloops and Nelson studies, the survey methodology utilized in Kelowna and the West Kootenays appeared to provide a more comprehensive picture of homelessness in those communities. Similar themes emerged in the recommendations of the studies (e.g., affordable/emergency housing and better coordination of services). However, the studies in the primarily urban communities (Kelowna and Kamloops) recommended more targeted services while the studies in the primarily rural communities (Nelson and the West Kootenays) recommended more generalized and universal services.