FFWD Weekly
Copyright © 1998 All Rights Reserved.
| COVER STORY The lives of abused women and children are being placed at increased risk by Calgary's housing crisis. According to workers at city women's shelters, the lack of quality, safe and affordable housing limits the availability of transitional accommodation and, obviously, restricts the choices for women who want to leave abusive relationships but do not want to go to a shelter. "It's hard enough getting the courage to leave an abusive relationship, and the housing situation makes it an even more difficult choice," observes Karen Blase, executive director of the Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter. "The maximum stay in the shelter is usually 21 days, but we are finding that we are having to extend this purely because of housing. This then has an impact on the numbers turned away and we can't be appropriately efficient. It's a challenge," she says. Carrie*, a counsellor with another shelter, adds that the rate of extended stays has really gone up in the last couple of years. "There is a bit of scrambling going on and we get at least 15 calls a day looking for space in the shelter. We can't accommodate them all." With little available housing, shelters in the city are filled to capacity and are turning women away, by some estimates at the rate of 100 women per month. The Emergency Social Services program can be used to obtain accommodation for up to three nights, at which time the women can apply for regular social services benefits and be accommodated in a hotel for up to two weeks, but it still creates unhealthy, if not dangerous, delays. Women who are able to get into a shelter are then faced with the problem of obtaining adequate housing when they leave. Carrie suggests that the women have a number of options: applying for second stage housing for additional support and counselling; applying for subsidized housing; returning "home" and facing the potential of increased abuse; or renting through the open market. The viability of the last option is limited. Women leaving shelters may be afforded some support by the Department of Family and Social Services, but the single person's housing allowance of $165 per month is insultingly insufficient, and limits participation in Calgary's over-priced housing market. "It is a problem getting safe, affordable housing for single women or women with one or two children given social service housing allowances," according to Blase. This is also a blatant example of the feminization of poverty. Another option is programs offering "second stage" housing, which provide psychological and social support for survivors of abuse for up to six months. These programs are an excellent example of how a community can respond effectively to a social problem. However, there is only limited space available and, as one might expect, demand far exceeds supply. There is also regular subsidized housing, yet even those who qualify may not actually obtain accommodation. The Calgary Housing Authority and Calhome Properties Limited, subsidized housing agencies, help in the provision of affordable housing, and women leaving a shelter are given priority in securing accommodation. But as more of the housing stock in the city is given over to the market, the availability of places is restricted. And there is not much vacancy occuring within the pool of existing subsidized housing due to the outrageous rental costs on the private market. "Calhomes and the Calgary Housing Authority fast track our people when they can, but it still depends on the vacancy rate and families seem to get first priority. From what I've seen, single women are really down on the list," notes Jackie*, an outreach worker with a shelter. "A lot of women are really de-stabilized when they come to the shelter, and if they can't find housing it's understandable that they go back [to their 'home']," she adds. This was the dilemma faced by Liz*, a woman leaving an abusive relationship of over 14 years. "I went to the shelter and I was treated well. But I wasn't able to live in Calhomes because I have cats. People told me that I should just get rid of the cats, but they kept me sane for all that time and I just couldn't do it. So I had to find my own apartment. The shelter fixed me up with a volunteer to help me look for an apartment, and we drove all over the city, but I couldn't find a place I could afford. Eventually, I moved back with my husband. I don't think he'll hit me again." (Unfortunately, after this interview took place, he did.) The provincial government has indicated that abused women need not return to an abusive situation if a shelter is full, and has added funding (albeit limited) to the budget of the Department of Family and Social Services. In the funding announcement, Minister Lyle Oberg stated, "We will work closely with the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters to determine exactly how this funding can be used to help reduce the number of women turned away from women's shelters." In addition to the funding, the Protection Against Family Violence Act legislation aimed at increasing protective measures and options available to victims of family violence, their spouses, children and elders, received Royal Assent in April, 1998. These measures are certainly a step forward, but if instrumental needs aren't met and realistic avenues of escape are not provided, women and children will continue to bear the physical, emotional, psychological and social scars of abuse. "More shelter space is great, but we need more housing for both after the shelter and as an alternative to the shelter," notes Carrie. "...if we had better housing in the city, we'd probably see less abuse, period. When basic needs aren't met, people panic. It's not an excuse, but it is a factor." As a first step, affordable housing would certainly increase the choices of abused women. * Names have been changed to protect the identity of the individuals. (Tim Wild is a social worker in Calgary with several years experience working on social justice and housing issues.) |