The City of Windsor has began rolling out a new system to eliminate homelessness. The 'By Name Registry' will help track individuals accessing community agencies and then prioritize them based on their needs.
The move comes after a 'point in time' count done in April that found an average of 201 people experience homelessness in the Windsor area every single night.
The city's coordinator of housing administration and development, Kelly Goz, says the new registry will act as an outreach program.
"Historically, how we've offered services to people experiencing homelessness the first person in the door gets the services first," says Goz "So with the 'By Names Coordinated List', by working with communities around a table to determine what their needs are, the services can best match what that individual needs. 15% of the population, for whatever reason, have not been able to solve their own homelessness. So we will ensure that the services go to those people who have been failed or have not been able to access services and supports in the past. This is going to change how we offer those services."
The city hopes to have the 'By Name Registry' fully implemented by April. Another 'point in time' count is planned for April 2018 to see if the new system is making a difference.
There are currently more than 3,000 people on the waiting list for social housing in Windsor-Essex.