Windsor-Essex 2021 Homelessness Enumeration Report

Preventing and ending homelessness begins with knowing who experiences it, in order to connect them to resources and supports, better understand the scope of homelessness, and strategically invest in solutions to overcome housing barriers. Counts like those conducted on March 24 and March 25, 2021 by the City of Windsor in partnership with its community partners demonstrate continued commitment to reduce homelessness and build upon the 2018 and 2016 enumerations to generate the data critical to identifying trends among people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. Much has changed since the last count in 2018. The COVID-19 pandemic has offered new opportunities to engage people experiencing already heightened vulnerability as they struggle to meet their basic needs. The 2021 count involved trained community volunteers deployed throughout the city and county to ensure that individuals, families and youth experiencing homelessness received an opportunity to be counted and surveyed. Engagements occurred in shelters, on the streets and in various facilities that serve people experiencing homelessness, including COVID-19 isolation and recovery centres. This Point-in-Time count event, which again included a housing and support needs survey known as the Vulnerability Index - Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT), provides new, critical information for Windsor to continue ending homelessness. At the time of the Point in Time Count in 2021, COVID-19 outbreaks impacted shelter-based surveying so administrative data complemented the enumeration survey results. This report provides an overview of the insights and findings of the 2021 Point-in-Time count and Registry Week in Windsor.