Valerie Colasanti knows it is tough to find an apartment in Petrolia.

The general manager of social services is on the front lines helping people facing homelessness in Lambton and says there may be “several individuals in Petrolia” who are experiencing homelessness.

In August, the county found there were 52 people living rough – outside at all times – across the county; most in Sarnia. Recently, local politicians called for a summit to discuss what could be done to deal with the crisis.

Over the past few months, the county has been notified there may be people in Petrolia experiencing homelessness and they’ve worked with them to help find a safe place to stay if they want it. But it’s not easy. “Right now all of our county housing is full and there is for single units, which is our most needed space, a wait list of about four years,” Colasanti says.

The county’s homeless outreach team, often working with the OPP and its mental health team, approach those in need to offer all kinds of support, including help to pay overdue electricity bills allowing them to stay in their home or providing a benefit equal to the cost of first and last months rent with a private landlord.

Even that isn’t easy; “It is really hard to find an apartment in Petrolia, the costs are very high…The average market rate is well above an allowance of someone on social assistance. They only receive $733 in total, and that’s going to cover the rent and food,” she says. In today’s market, the cost of renting an apartment can exceed those payments.

But it’s not just those relying on social assistance having problems. Colasanti says “someone working at minimum wage, maybe not full hours, it’s not going be able to afford rent; it is a real challenge.”

That high cost of rent means some of the working poor are trying to hold onto their vehicle. “That’s why you see people living in their car, because they are working.”

Colasanti says homeless outreach team members can work with someone for months trying to find a solution that fits their needs. “If they’ve been housed recently, they’re more likely to work with us.

“People who have been in and out of shelters, sometimes they don’t have any trust at all. Sometimes there’s mental health issues. So, it is really hard and everyone’s situation is so unique.”

Colasanti urges people to call the Ontario Works crisis line if they see someone they believe is living homeless. They may already know about them or will approach them with mental health professionals to try to help bring them out of the cold.

But only if they want to. “There are some people who do choose to live rough for a variety of reasons. And until they’re ready to make that change, there’s nothing we can do.”