Strength in unity for Toronto supportive housing

Mainstay Housing and Houselink Community Homes were the two biggest players in Toronto for supportive housing for people with serious mental health issues, poverty and many other challenges such as addiction, homelessness and complex health problems. These two organizations not only had similar goals but complementary know-how. In order to further increase their strengths—and to better serve their 1500 renters—they submitted a proposal to unite the two organizations to their respective tenants. In early 2021, the vote in favor of the merger was announced.

The Mainstay/Houselink Amalgamation Proposal received a grant of $50,000 from the Centre in early 2020. Its pre-merger goal was to garner the support of tenants and to reduce any fears they might have about the change. Following the vote to bring the two organizations together, the project seeks to encourage ties between tenants living in properties that are close to each other and set up consultation and focus groups with tenants on governance structures, regulations, services and a vision that reflect the image of the new organization.