Housing & Homelessness Action Plan

New 10-Year Housing and Homeless Action Plan Under Development. The City of Hamilton’s 2025-2035 Housing and Homelessness Action Plan (the HHAP) will be addressed at an upcoming GIC meeting and once approved by Council, will be posted here. This 10-year Action Plan was redeveloped in collaboration with a multi-stakeholder Planning Group and Working Group, with input from those involved in the housing and homelessness continuum including frontline staff, service providers and people with lived and/or living experience. The HHAP is the guiding document for the City of Hamilton’s Housing Services workplan, and will be reviewed annually to ensure it continues to address local need within the housing and homelessness system. Progress on the New Action Plan will be shared here as it is available.

Review the City’s previous Housing & Homelessness Action Plan

December 2024: Current Action Plan reaches end of 10-years
January 2025: Redevelopment of next Action Plan begins
May 7, 2018: Housing and Homelessness Action Plan Update
December 12, 2016: Council receives 2015 and 2016 Report to the Community
June 24, 2015: Council receives 2014 Report to the Community
December 9. 2013: Council endorsement of Phase Two
June 11, 2012: Council endorsement of Phase One
October 2010: Housing and Homelessness Planning Group was convened to provide guidance to staff in the development of the Housing and Homelessness Action Plan.
2007: Council approved Everyone Has a Home: A Strategic Plan to Address Homelessness, Hamilton’s first comprehensive plan to address homelessness.
2004: Council approved Keys to the Home: A Housing Strategy for Hamilton, first housing strategy for the City since amalgamation.

Review Related

Plans & Documents

HHAP Annual Report to the Province - 2015 (PDF, 1012.19 KB)HHAP Annual Report to the Province - 2016 (PDF, 1.01 MB)HHAP Annual Report to the Province - 2017 (PDF, 1002.16 KB)HHAP Annual Report to the Province - 2020 (PDF, 395.44 KB)HHAP Annual Report to the Province - 2022 (PDF, 390.95 KB)HHAP Annual Report to the Province - 2023 (PDF, 950.01 KB)HHAP Annual Report to the Province - 2024 (PDF, 1.1 MB)

Staff Report CES15033: Housing and Homelessness Action Plan - June 22, 2015 Appendix A: 2014 Annual Report to the Community - June 22, 2015 Appendix B: 2014 Strategy Progress Update - June 22, 2015 Staff Report CS11017c: Housing and Homelessness Action Plan - Endorsement of Ph…Staff Report CS11017b: Housing and Homelessness Action Plan - Endorsement of Ph…

Housing and Homelessness Action Plan Five-Year Review (CS11017(d)) - August 2020 Housing and Homelessness Action Plan Five-Year Strategy Update - August 2020 Community Profiles - August 2020 CFA Respondents Meeting August 2019 (PDF, 745.16 KB)CFA Respondents Q&A August 2019 (PDF, 179.22 KB)Housing and Homelessness Action Plan Summary - October 2013 (PDF, 3.29 MB)Housing and Homelessness Action Plan Report - December 2013 (PDF, 5.05 MB)Housing and Homelessness Action Plan - Talking to People - October 2012 (PDF, 2.12 MB)Examining Housing & Homelessness Environment in Hamilton October 2011 (PDF, 4.93 MB)

Learn more about Homelessness

Research & Systems Planning

Homelessness Systems Planning

Housing & Homelessness Research and Planning

The Hamilton’s Systems Planning Framework(PDF, 14.54 MB) sets a path forward to end chronic homelessness by 2025. It serves as a roadmap to guide municipal decision-makers, staff, social service providers and community organizations in addressing the needs of individuals and families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

The framework re-envisions the way services are delivered and policies are implemented across Hamilton’s homeless-serving system.

While the homeless-serving system responds to immediate needs to divert people from homelessness and rapidly houses those in need of enhanced supports, partners across the broader social safety net contribute to a sustainable, seamless response that ensures prevention and appropriate housing are in place to reduce the risk of homelessness, prevent homelessness whenever possible, or otherwise ensure it is a rare, brief and non-reoccurring experience.

The framework serves two main purposes:

To detail Hamilton’s s roadmap to ending homelessness within the context of the broader social safety net; and,
To outline a Systems Planning Framework to guide the design of the City’s investments in homelessness and enhance overall coordination of diverse resources locally to meet systems planning goals.

Guide to Finding Housing in Hamilton for People with Disabilities(PDF, 576.65 KB)
A Guide Developed by the Accessibility Committee for Persons with Disabilities (ACPD), and approved by Hamilton City Council on September 12, 2018, this Guidebook was made to raise awareness for the housing needs of people with disabilities as well as provide a tool to assist people, their families and the community in finding and maintaining appropriate housing solutions. For more information please contact the staff liaison for the ACPD.

Housing First Overview - May 7, 2014(PDF, 1.03 MB)
Provides a comprehensive overview of Housing First and explores the elements that are necessary for effective local implementation adhering to the guidelines and expectations communicated by the Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS). This presentation also outlines the Housing First Fidelity Scale, presents local Performance Targets, and shares additional links to resources.

Housing First Overview - Q&A Summary May 7, 2014(PDF, 131.47 KB)
A summary of questions and responses discussed at the May 7, 2014 Housing First Information Session hosted by the City of Hamilton, Homelessness Programs (Housing Services Division) at McMaster Innovation Park.

Homelessness Prevention Overview - June 18, 2014(PDF, 309.17 KB)
This presentation provides a comprehensive overview of expectations on homelessness prevention in the City of Hamilton.

Homelessness Prevention Overview - Q&A Summary June 18, 2014(PDF, 67.93 KB)
A summary of questions and responses discussed at the June 18, 2014 Homelessness Prevention Information Session hosted by the City of Hamilton, Homelessness Programs (Housing Services Division) at Dundurn Castle - Coach House.

Homelessness Prevention Research Brief(PDF, 371.3 KB)
A summary of the research completed on homelessness prevention as part of Phase 3 of the Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative Review.

2013 Day Services Evaluation Final Report(PDF, 782.55 KB)
The City of Hamilton's Housing Services Division has completed an evaluation of day services for people in Hamilton who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. This is the Final Report.

2013 Day Services Evaluation - City of Hamilton's Position Paper(PDF, 204.04 KB)
The City of Hamilton's Housing Services Division has completed an evaluation of day services for people in Hamilton who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. This document is a summary of the City's approach in advancing the findings of the review.

Emergency Shelters and Domiciliary Hostels Programs - Summary of Analysis Report(PDF, 252.17 KB)
The Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative Review Report includes analysis and recommendations for the two main service areas: Emergency Shelters and Residential Care Facilities Subsidy Program (formerly Domiciliary Hostels). The results of the analysis set the foundation for additional work particularly on the emerging planning for homelessness prevention.

System Change: Service User Perspectives On the Homelessness Service System - July 2010(PDF, 234.46 KB)
This report summarizes service user feedback to be included as part of two key planning initiatives: The Blueprint for Emergency Shelter Services and The Consolidated Homelessness and Prevention Program (CHPP) Review.

Date modified

July 31, 2025