On the Closure of House of Hope
The Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada partner with London Cares Homeless Outreach and Regional HIV/AIDS Connection. Across London, organizations have worked deliberately to build a community where everyone can access the housing and support they need to live with stability and dignity.
House of Hope is a vital part of that housing continuum. For many residents, it bridged the gap between encampments or shelters and more stable supportive or affordable housing. Closing this deeply supportive housing creates a serious void and leaves both residents and staff facing renewed uncertainty and distress.
Too much of the time and energy of London Cares leadership—and of many across the social service sector—is consumed by securing, protecting, and renegotiating funding. That outlay of energy is needed in supporting frontline staff, and helping residents move toward stability. This work strengthens not only the lives of House of Hope residents, but the well-being of the wider London community.
Displacing residents and staff is an avoidable setback to the Whole of Community Response to Homelessness. We trust that the province and the city along with those most affected can resolve this together. At a time when communities are already under strain, preserving effective supportive housing is both necessary and do-able.
-Sister Margo Ritchie, csj
image: Adam Papp/Unsplash
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