In Ontario, there is great concern about chronic homelessness and renewed attention to supportive housing for people who live with mental illness or addictions. Energy is devoted to local initiatives, new provincial funding is provided, and attention is given to housing first.

This in-depth report takes a broader look at supportive housing for these populations. We ask, what exists today, and how did it come to be? What different approaches exist? What ideas and goals – and what layers of history – do they embody? Understanding this context can help policy-makers, funders, providers, and others interested to see more clearly where recent initiatives and new proposals fit from this broader perspective.

Taking Stock of Supportive Housing uses a broad defnition of supportive housing (housing with supports). It includes units for people who have been chronically homeless, as well as those specifcally targeted to people with mental illness or addictions. It includes models where supports are directly bundled or linked with the housing, and models where they are not.