David Coon, MLA/Député

In Fredericton, the average duration of stay in shelters and on the streets is 34.8 months. This was discovered through a point in time count.

The chronic and episodically homeless make up 15% of the homeless population and rely on over 50% of government resources for this group, in terms of law enforcement, health care and other emergency services. These resources are not creating lasting change in the lives of homeless people.

So what’s the hold up?

Government refuses to make Housing First a priority. While the upfront costs are higher, there will be great cost savings over time. More importantly, it’s the right thing to do.