Addressing Homelessness and Housing Crisis in Windsor-Essex County
As a longstanding democracy, Canada has been a staunch advocate for human rights, including the right to affordable housing. By ratifying the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) in 1976 and assenting to the National Housing Strategy Act in 2019, Canada affirmed its commitment to the progressive realization of the right to housing as recognized under international human rights. Despite acknowledging the right to affordable housing, homelessness remains a social concern in many cities across Canada, including Windsor-Essex County. This research paper, therefore, analyses the homelessness situation in Windsor-Essex, taking into consideration the causes, programs, and policies implemented in combating homelessness as well as the challenges to addressing homelessness. This paper finds that although the City of Windsor is addressing homelessness through diverse programs and policies such as emergency services, rent subsidies, and the Housing First Program, there are still financial and structural challenges that impede the fight against homelessness in Windsor-Essex. Thus, this paper recommends tackling homelessness through continuous investment in affordable housing, increasing public awareness and financial support for program operators, and preventing unlawful evictions.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations