A home is the starting point

Who the program serves

Foundations to Housing is designed for single adults in the Annapolis Valley who have experienced chronic homelessness and have significant support needs. Participants may be moving from emergency shelter, or rough sleeping into housing of their own.

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Participation is voluntary. Referrals to the program are made through Annapolis Valley Coordinated Access, a shared process that helps connect people experiencing homelessness with available housing supports.

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Because Foundations to Housing provides intensive, individualized support, it is one part of Open Arms’ response to homelessness. It is not an emergency shelter or a crisis response service.

Finding the right place

A housing worker gets to know the participant’s needs and preferences, then helps them look for a suitable rental home in the community of their choosing. This can include finding available units, completing applications, communicating with landlords, and working through the practical steps of signing a lease and moving in.

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The program uses a scattered-site model. Participants rent homes in the community rather than living together in a single program building. They are tenants, with the rights and responsibilities that come with a lease.

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Where available and appropriate, the program can help with move-in costs and a rent supplement. Staff also work with participants on income and budgeting so the housing arrangement is as sustainable as possible.

Support after move-in

The work continues once someone has a key to their home. A case manager meets with the participant regularly, often in their home or elsewhere in the community. Together, they identify what could help the person remain housed and make a plan around their priorities.

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That support may include:

• Managing rent, bills, and a household budget

• Connecting with health care and other community services

• Planning for food and daily household needs

• Building routines and practical living skills

• Addressing concerns with a landlord before they grow

• Strengthening relationships and connections in the community

Support is flexible because people’s circumstances are different. The early months may involve more frequent contact as someone settles in. Over time, the focus shifts toward the resources, relationships, and confidence they will need to maintain their housing with less program support. Support lasts up to 24 months; the housing itself is intended to be permanent.

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Housing First does not mean working alone

People experiencing chronic homelessness may face barriers that cannot be resolved before they are housed. A stable home can make it easier to address those challenges safely and at a pace that makes sense for the person.

Foundations to Housing respects each participant’s choices and builds on their strengths. Staff use trauma-informed and harm reduction approaches, recognizing that past experiences, health concerns, substance use, and other circumstances can affect how someone engages with services. Housing is not conditional on sobriety or treatment.

Participants help shape their own goals. Case managers offer practical support, help people connect with other services, and work alongside them as they establish a home and a life in the community.

Working with landlords

Landlords are important partners in creating more paths out of homelessness. Foundations to Housing works with landlords during the housing search and remains involved after a participant moves in.

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Depending on the tenancy, that may include help with rent payment arrangements, regular housing support visits, communication when concerns arise, and practical help to address issues that could put a tenancy at risk. The goal is to support a stable tenancy for both the person renting the home and the landlord providing it.

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Interested in partnering with Open Arms as a landlord? Contact our team to learn more about Foundations to Housing and how landlord partnerships work.

How this fits with Open Arms’ other services

Emergency shelter offers a place to stay when someone has nowhere safe to go. Foundations to Housing focuses on the next, longer-term goal: helping eligible people move into permanent housing and supporting them as they establish themselves there.

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There is no single path out of homelessness. Some people need short-term help to find a home. Others need sustained support after move-in. Foundations to Housing is built for people whose experience of homelessness and support needs call for that deeper, ongoing work.