Complex Care Housing Strategy

A Collaborative Approach to Supporting High-Needs Tenancies

Complex Care Housing is a structured strategy that builds on OCH’s existing partnerships and the Community Development team efforts. It focuses on addressing systemic gaps and working together with health and housing partners to better meet tenant needs.

We now have a Complex Care Housing Framework. It guides us in determining what we can do and what partnerships we need to better support all tenants, including those leaving chronic homelessness and living with complex mental health issues, substance use, and various other health challenges.

Maintaining Independant Living

In recent years, we’ve seen a rise in tenants facing complex challenges in maintaining independent living. Factors such as persistent mental health issues, substance use, and the impacts of aging have contributed to increased personal and community safety concerns, higher use of emergency services, and, for some, the risk of falling back into homelessness.

Housing as a Determinant of Health

Recognizing housing as a determinant of health, OCH launched the Complex Care Housing Strategy in 2023. This proactive approach fosters collaboration within the housing system and with partners across Ottawa, aiming to support tenants facing various, complex and significant challenges.

Who Does Complex Care Housing Serve?

Working in partnership with housing and health sector partners, Complex Care Housing supports tenants who are at a greater risk of:

High users of emergency services

Facing difficulties with independent living

At risk of housing loss or recurrent homelessness

The Four Pillars of Complex Care Housing

The Complex Care Housing Working Group has identified four foundational pillars to guide the strategy. Each pillar is essential to building a cohesive and efficient approach to tenant support.

Housing System Change

Reform internal and external systems to support replicable housing models that better meet complex tenant needs.

Investment in Place-Based Support

Increase support directly within our housing communities to address the needs of high-need tenants effectively.

Accountability and Transparency

Strengthen collaboration with our partners through shared goals and transparent progress measures.

Supportive Housing Streams

Develop specific supportive housing models within existing community housing, tailored for complex-needs tenants.

Through the Complex Care Housing Strategy, we aim to:

Better identify tenants (through an intake process) who require a greater level of support to live independently in community housing and have a system to align resources that are needed to ensure people are housed appropriately.
Improve collaboration with stakeholders and partners to better manage the inflow of local and provincial priority tenants.
Reduce community housing operational costs and overuse of emergency services and hospitals.
Impact system changes and share the results of our work with community and supportive housing providers across Ontario.

Looking Ahead

Ottawa Community Housing and the Complex Care Housing Working Group will continue to work towards collaborating and sharing accountability among community and supportive housing providers, public health agencies, healthcare organizations, social service providers, and local government. By pooling resources and expertise, we can create a comprehensive support network that bridges gaps between housing, healthcare, and social services and creates lasting positive changes for Ottawa’s vulnerable tenants.

At OCH, our employees come from all different backgrounds, represent all genders, age groups, sexual orientations, speak a multitude of languages, and share different experiences and perspectives. We would not have it any other way.