Bermuda requires a co-ordinated system coupled with sustainable funding, stronger prevention, reliable data and clear accountability that reflects the real circumstances of people living rough, the House of Assembly heard.

Tinée Furbert, the Minister of Youth, Social Development and Seniors, said statutory protections and housing options must be in place to assist those affected by the issue.

She said the Plan to End Homelessness, a strategy comprising evidence-based solutions and global best practices, made the case that it went far beyond those “whom we see on the streets”.

She added: “It includes those who are roofless, those who are houseless, those in insecure housing and those living in inadequate housing.

“It includes people in emergency accommodation, people leaving institutions with nowhere to nowhere safe to go, people under the threat of eviction, people fleeing violence and people living in conditions no person should be asked to endure.”

Ms Furbert told the House on Friday it was not a new challenge to the island.

In 1988, growing concern about the number of people living without dependable accommodation led to the reactivation of Bermuda’s Committee on Homelessness, including representatives from the Bermuda Police Service, The Salvation Army and the Department of Social Services.

Ms Furbert said census figures showed 82 people in Bermuda experiencing homelessness in 2010 and 138 in 2016.

In 2022, there were 169 persons counted in homelessness hostels, and a further 46 were recorded in night shelters.

“These numbers tell us that homelessness in Bermuda is not theoretical,” Ms Furbert said.

The charity Home estimated that 1,331 were experiencing homelessness in 2025.

Ms Furbert said Bermuda’s broader housing agenda, the affordable housing strategy and the National Homelessness Action Plan operated at different points on the same continuum.

Robin Tucker, the Shadow Minister of Youth and Family Services, called on MPs to think about “the real lives and the real people” affected by homelessness.

She said: “We have an urgent and critical crisis on our hands.

“Many of us know someone who is housing insecure, whether it’s a neighbour, a family, a friend, a former colleague … but unless we’ve walked in their shoes we really cannot fully appreciate the depth of the hardship that they’re experiencing.”

She said addressing homelessness in Bermuda was a shared responsibility, adding that the One Bermuda Alliance stood ready to support the plan.

Zane DeSilva, the Deputy Premier and Minister of Housing and Municipalities, said many struggled to find affordable homes, adding that he receives frequent calls from people seeking somewhere to live.

Michael Fahy, the Shadow Minister Economy, Labour and Housing, said the growing number of homeless individuals identified was “sobering” and that the Government faced significant work to do to address it. He said the plan still lacked “measurables” such as costs and timelines.

Christopher Famous, chairman of the Bermuda Housing Corporation, said that in the last two years, the BHC had refurbished about 76 properties, all of which were occupied, and was now working to build hundreds of new units.

He told the House: “At the end of the day, we need more houses in this country. That’s the bottom line.”

Dwayne Robinson, the Shadow Minister of Home and Community Affairs, said the plan highlights the many different facets of homelessness in Bermuda.

However, he said that the Government cannot be the only home builder on the island and that he hoped that a structured effort to encourage private building could be incorporated.

Ben Smith, the Leader of the Opposition, said when people thought about homelessness, many neglected to consider how people came to be in such a position.

He said the island needed to address the causes of homelessness and continuous financial support was required to make a real change.

Jason Hayward, the Minister of Economy and Labour, said homelessness was not always as simple as a housing challenge, adding: “We are not going to eradicate the need for help, but we need to ensure we have robust frameworks and systems in place to make sure they have the support that they need.”

Mr Hayward said he has pushed for unemployment insurance to help provide a buffer for those who find themselves in a challenging position.

Read the original article at The Royal Gazette