Homelessness in Hamilton

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Last month hundreds of volunteers took to the streets as part of a project to collect data about the city’s homeless.

The results were presented at City Hall, Friday and they paint a clearer picture of homelessness here in Hamilton

About 300 volunteers took the streets last month talking to the homeless focusing mostly on the downtown core to get a better idea of who is homeless and the issues they’re facing.

Of the 504 people, 72% are male while 28% are female.

28% reported having Aboriginal ancestry.

One of the biggest issues here in Hamilton is the lack of affordable housing.

77% said that they don’t have enough money to meet their housing needs.

Hamilton’s Mayor says homelessness, affordable housing and poverty are the city’s top priorities and challenges.

Eisenberger says these results are a first step to help them use the resources they do have and the city is working with the Provincial and Federal Governments to do more.

There was $273 thousand towards housing in the Provincial budget and is expected to be more in the Federal budget this month.

The Mayor hopes Hamilton will see some of that, to help with the issue.

The city has an immediate plan to house 138 of the homeless by next year.