CambridgeToday received the following letter on the need for supportive housing.
A critical Cambridge concern is the stark lack of supportive housing in our community. This issue demands urgent and focused attention.
Supportive housing has proven its value across Ontario as a keystone element of the affordable housing spectrum. But Cambridge faces a critical shortage of supportive housing, leaving many of our most vulnerable citizens without the means to stabilize their lives.
One way to describe supportive housing is "affordable housing with supports."
Supportive housing addresses the root causes of homelessness, offering residents a chance not just to survive, but to thrive.
Supportive housing offers more than temporary shelter; it provides a critical pathway out of homelessness. Supportive housing integrates services such as mental health support, substance abuse counselling, and employment training.
Yet, despite the clear benefits, there appears to be a lack of the needed political commitment from all levels of government to advance these necessary solutions for Cambridge.
The absence of supportive housing in our city is more than something that needs attention - it is a crisis in the making.
Anne Tinker, former Director of the Cambridge Shelter Corporation (Bridges), starkly framed our predicament: "In Cambridge, the gap between the availability and need for supportive housing is steadily growing. Without significant investment in supportive housing, we are failing those who need help the most."
This sentiment is a call to action, highlighting the desperate circumstances of many who remain unhoused and underserved in our community.
We call on our political leaders to acknowledge that without a substantial increase in supportive housing, we are not merely overlooking a need — we are actively perpetuating a cycle of homelessness and poverty.
The cost of inaction is high, not only in human terms but also in economic impact, as emergency services become increasingly overburdened by the ongoing crisis.
It is imperative that we confront this issue head-on. We need a concerted effort from all levels of government to fund and support the expansion of supportive housing in Cambridge. The community's health and the well-being of its most vulnerable members depend on our ability to provide comprehensive, long-term housing solutions.
We cannot afford to delay. The time for action is now.
We must rally community support and push for policy changes that will allocate the necessary resources to make more supportive housing a reality in Cambridge. Only then can we begin to mend the fabric of our community and offer real hope to those in need.
John Egoff
Member of Citizens for Cambridge
