As a proud parent of two children that identify as part of the LGBTQ2S+ community, the Safe Spaces & Housing Program through the Youth Services Bureau quite literally hits close to home. I have spent the last twenty years helping families find homes and I know how powerful a home can be in all of our lives. The thought that a family would reject a child based on gender and/or sexual orientation is so foreign to me, but it also deeply saddens and touches me.

Late last year, our brokerage Engel & Volkers Ottawa Central presented us with the opportunity to participate in their “Contribution at Closing” campaign to help homeless LGBTQ2S+ youth in our community. I felt that this program aligned perfectly with mine and my team’s values, so we decided to participate and make a contribution for every family that we do business with this year.

Every buyer and seller who finds a space called home is also helping a youth in need find theirs. Diversity strengthens our communities and adds to the rich tapestry that is our life’s experience. I can’t even begin to tell you what I learn from my kids, Tokyo and Emmett, every day. They quite literally have taught me to love and embrace diversity and to go way beyond the tolerance that is so pervasive in our society. They are a gift like few others and I am a better man for knowing them and loving them.

I feel incredible gratitude that I have been so lucky and blessed in my career and this is the smallest of gestures under John F. Kennedy’s ethos of “From those to whom much is given, much is expected.”

Homelessness in Ottawa

How big is the problem?
● On any given night, more than 8,000 individuals (including children) in Ottawa have nowhere to sleep but in one of the 11 emergency shelters (total of 869 beds).
● This leaves more than 7,000 people without adequate shelter on many nights.
● Covid has made the situation worse. The number of people having to sleep outside has doubled since the start of Covid.

The top causes of homelessness are:
● Lack of affordable housing
● Unemployment
● Poverty
● Mental illness and the lack of needed services
● Substance abuse

There simply aren’t enough emergency shelter beds or affordable housing to currently meet the need. In January of 2020, Ottawa City Council declared a “homelessness crisis”. Since Covid arrived, homelessness in Ottawa has grown, partly as a reduced capacity at emergency shelters due to pandemic restrictions. The City of Ottawa also passed a motion in 2020 to set aggressive targets to reduce homelessness as part of a 10-year housing and homelessness plan.

Youth Homelessness in Ottawa

Homeless youth often lack the experience and life skills necessary to live independently or on the street, especially those under the age of 18. The causes of youth homelessness are also different from adults:
● Family conflict is a major cause of youth homelessness
● 60% of homeless youth who are street-involved report violent victimization
● Homeless youth face the additional risks of sexual or economic exploitation, traumatic events, declining health and addictions.

LGBTQ2S+ Youth Homelessness

LGBTQ2S+ youth are over-represented among the homeless youth population. A significant number of homeless LGBTQ2S+ youth have experienced family conflict and end up leaving home or exiting the care of child welfare services.

LGBTQ2S+ youth are estimated to make up between 25% and 40% of homeless youth while representing roughly 10% of the population. Roughly 1 out of every 3 homeless youth in Ottawa identifies as LGBTQ2S+.

LGBTQ2S+ individuals face unique challenges when it comes to housing, and LGBTQ2S+ youth may be the most vulnerable members of this community. Fear of encountering homophobia, transphobia, or other forms of oppression causes LGBTQ2S+ homeless people to avoid shelters. This means that they can’t access services and support that could help them get off the streets and into more permanent housing.

Compared to the general population, LGBTQ2S+ individuals are more likely to experience severe poverty and homelessness.

What Can We Do?

In the long term, the solution is to address the need for more affordable housing. In the short run, we can support those organizations and programs that provide short term and long term shelter to homeless people and youth. Governments alone cannot solve the problem of homelessness. As Realtors we can advocate for affordable housing and support organizations that offer solutions.

In 2021, Engel & Volkers Ottawa Central made a financial contribution of $15,000 to the Ottawa Youth Services Bureau in support of its LGBTQ2+ youth housing program! Our team donated $5,800 on top of that to help the YSB expand their outreach and support to LGBTQ2+ youth that are in need of temporary and long term housing!

*Sean pictured above with daughter Tokyo at Ottawa Pride 2019.