By Cathy Chung
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered youth now living on the streets will finally have a place to call home, thanks to a new housing initiative in the Ottawa area.
“The Host Homes Program takes GLBT youth and matches them with people who have an understanding of the issues that they face,” says Bob MacDonald, project coordinator for the program.
These include abuse, depression and poverty.
“Often, coming out to family may create domestic turmoil in the home,.creating a hostile environment, and the youth is either asked to leave, or feels like he or she has to,” says Bruce Bursey, spokesperson for the Wellness Project, a survey focusing on members of Ottawa’s GLBT community.
“Take these issues,” says MacDonald, “and add on the other issues of just being youth, such as discrimination and low income.”
MacDonald also says that, while working with street kids, he found 30 per cent of the cases had GLBT issues.
Low vacancy rates and high rents are another reason why such a high percentage of youth are out on the street.
“Housing options are bad for everyone right now, but particularly for young gay men,” says MacDonald. “They never feel safe going to shelters or rooming houses, where there is a lot of gay bashing and homophobia.”
“We have one host home that has been approved,” MacDonald says, “and four more are being considered. We are operational now.”
He says ideally they’ll have 10 host families. Host families have to be screened for safety and it is a very intensive process, which includes a background check.
He says this is important, particularly when working with young people.
When a youth is placed with a host family, it may be for a few days or long-term.
Depending on the situation, the youth may pay rent to the host family, or rent may be subsidized.
There are also a few families that have an agreement with the City of Ottawa, where if a youth needs a place to stay, they are compensated.
Diana Stimson had nothing but positive things to say about the Host Homes Program.
She is one of the coordinators of the Ottawa chapter of the Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) support group.
“We are supportive because host homes are a necessity,” she says.
PFLAG is one of the groups on the Host Homes Program advisory committee.
Pink Triangle, an agency that provides counseling, research, and other services to Ottawa’s GLBT community, is also on the committee.
The issue of homeless GLBT youth is not a recent problem.
However, it is only recently that the issue has been identified, and people like Bob MacDonald are working to help young people.