Struggles of BIPOC youth in the housing crisis demands immediate attention

BY PAUL JUNOR

Since it was founded by Dagma Koyi on July 23rd, 2015, Restoration and Empowerment for Social Change (REST) Centres has been at the forefront of providing practical strategies to help BIPOC youths deal with the many challenges related to homelessness. It changes their lives by providing them with a range of services that improve the quality of their lives. These include food and rent subsidies, tenant subsidies, tenant and financial literacy training and social integration services.

REST Centres follows a housing-first, community-driven model which identifies these four areas:

Shelter: Housing is our first priority

Shelter is a fundamental human right, so we work on the premise that youth are in a better position to move forward with their lives, when they have stable housing. This means working quickly to secure: safe, affordable, and sustainable housing, with ongoing support to maintain their tendencies, as the first step in our holistic approach.

The four specific areas of focus are;

• Transitional housing
• Applicant assistance
• Eviction prevention
• Landlord training and support

The flagship program is “The Bridge of Hope.”

Living: Income, food and basic necessities

From housing, we subsidize and help youth secure essential sources of income, food, personal care and household items.

The three focus areas in this category:

• Rent subsidy
• Food subsidy
• Household starter packs

The flagship program is “Bare Necessities.”

Healing: Physical, mental and emotional wellness

Due to a lack of accessible resources and healthcare, especially for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth, our programs offer support to help heal the trauma that many homeless youth have experienced in their lives.

The three specific areas of focus are:

• Physical health
• Mental health
• Emotional health

The flagship program for this area is a “Black Youth Matter Hotline.”

Growing: Cultivating esteem, ability, and self-belief

Education is a foundation of our approach. Through tailored learning and development opportunities, youth build confidence, career and life skills that support their transition to independent living and beyond.

The six areas of focus in growing are:

• Tenant education and support
• Financial literacy
• Home economics
• Employment support
• Mentorship
• Work placements

The Flagship Program that is offered is called L.I.F.E (Learning Initiative Fostering Employment)

In its September 2023 newsletter, “The REST Insider,” it notes that, “The affordable housing crisis is at an all-time high in Canada and the entire market is almost completely inaccessible to young people at risk of homelessness.” It quotes statistics from Rentals.ca, which indicates that as of September 2023, Brampton and Mississauga are the two cities in Canada with the fourth and fifth most expensive rents. It averages $2300/month and $2700/month in both cities which is a whopping increase of 44% from last year. Three vital factors are:

Low social connection

Youth experiencing homelessness are some of the most isolated individuals in our society. Young people are supposed to have a network of support in the form of parents, teachers, community leaders, siblings, and even friends to have their best interests in mind.

Credit score

The credit score is one of Canada’s most telling markers of affluence and financial maturity and it’s something that most landlords now regard as part of a tenant’s application. This practice while understandable discriminates against young people with a shorter credit history and opportunities to build credit.

Guarantors

When a young person does not have a good credit score, a landlord often asks for a guarantor, or a co-signer, someone the landlord can hold financially liable for the cost of rent and any arrears should the person default on their payments.

The newsletter concludes, “Youth experiencing and at risk of homelessness need more opportunities for growth in our society to succeed in their futures.”