Scan for co-signing initiatives to support refugee housing in Hamilton

Abstract

Open Homes is a multi-church network that offers home-based hospitality and wraparound supports for refugees, helping them transition to life in Canada. The network connects refugees with local families for four months, offering short-term housing while the network actively assists clients in securing long-term housing. However, refugees face significant challenges in securing long-term housing, such as limited access to affordable housing, lack of credit history or rental references, and difficulty navigating complex housing systems and legal requirements. In response to persisting difficulties refugees face in accessing stable long-term housing, Open Homes is exploring co-signer programming as a potential option to provide sustainable housing options for refugee families—an idea that emerged from previous stakeholder consultations. The cooperative co-signing program model would involve tenants, landlords, and community members willing to serve as co-signers to support refugees in meeting co-signer requirements.

In Fall 2024, Open Homes partnered with Research Shop to explore similar co-signer initiatives that might exist across Canada. Over the last several months, we conducted a comprehensive environmental scan of similar housing support programs, along with key informant interviews to address questions regarding feasibility and strategic planning. We aimed to answer the following research question: What cooperative or co-signer-based housing support programs currently exist for refugees in Canada, and what features do these programs offer that could inform Open Homes' cooperative model?

We also aimed to answer a secondary research question: What feasibility and risk management considerations should Open Homes consider in designing an effective co-signer program?

This report presents the results of the environmental scan and findings from interviews with co-signer and long-term housing assistance programs across Canada and the United States, as well as local Hamilton stakeholders.