A report calling for a strategy to prevent people from falling into homelessness is getting a thumbs up form a local advocate for the homeless.
Adam Vasey, Director of Outreach and Advocacy for the Downtown Mission, likes many of the points in the paper released by the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness.
The report calls on the federal government to develop programs to keep people from becoming homeless in the first place.
Vasey says one proposal is the idea of a housing benefit payment.
"That would be similar to the child benefit which is a way of providing people with some additional income support, but it's outside of social assistance."
He says getting people in shelter is only half of the issue.
"That focus on always ensuring that we're working to get people housed immediately is important, but also making sure we're always focusing on what are the policies that need to be put in place to ensure that people don't fall into homelessness as well."
Vasey says talk is one thing, but cash is essential.
"Making sure all these strategies are well funded, that's always the issue. Sometimes there can be a good idea, but the governments aren't always willing to make the adequate investment to make that strategy robust and comprehensive."
He says the idea of "housing first" is getting done in this community through the Windsor-Essex Housing Connections Program, which has already helped about 50 people.
Vasey adds, the issue of homelessness is not a single solution problem, there are aspects of poverty, discrimination and mental health involved as well.