Kelowna's Journey Home Task Force is bringing in a renowned consultant to help tackle homelessness.
Dr. Alina Turner and her Turner Strategies group have been hired to help the task force come up with its long-term strategy to address homelessness.
Turner Strategies was behind the Housing First system implemented by the City of Calgary, and has also been hired to build plans in Victoria, Edmonton, and Yellowknife.
“Turner Strategies has completed more than 50 projects that focus on resolving complex social issues, like poverty and homelessness. We are excited to incorporate and learn from such an exceptional national expert,” said Martin Bell, Journey Home Task Force co-chair.
“The combined expertise included on Dr. Turner’s team will help our community make significant progress toward preventing homelessness, and ensuring if it does occur, that it is short-lived and doesn’t reoccur,” said Dr. Kyleen Myrah, Journey Home Task Force co-chair.
The task force says it's been busy, on top of the province's recent funding decisions for a temporary winter shelter downtown and nearly 130 future supportive housing units.
A street outreach to housing training session recently brought in almost 100 people from 30 local organizations.