Homelessness rising sharply in Nelson, report finds

Homelessness in Nelson continues to rise, with the 15th Annual Report Card on Homelessness showing a sharp increase in both visible and hidden forms.

The report, released by the Nelson Committee on Homelessness, highlights the current state of homelessness in the community and outlines steps to address it.  

Based on data from residents surveyed during the November 2024 Point-in-Time Homeless Count, the report recorded 122 individuals experiencing some form of homelessness – a 30 per cent increase from 2018. 

Most concerning, according to the report, is the doubling number of people living unsheltered, such as in tents, vehicles or entirely outdoors. 

Fewer than 20 people stayed outdoors from 2018 to 2020, but that number doubled to 40 in 2024. 

The average length of time experiencing homelessness has also increased, with 56 per cent of individuals in Nelson saying they have been without stable housing for a year or more, and 14 per cent indicating they have been homeless for more than five years. 

On average, unhoused residents in Nelson spent 285 days experiencing some form of homelessness. 

Additionally, of the 122 people experiencing homelessness, 40 per cent said they identified as Indigenous. 

Stigma and discrimination 

While the causes of homelessness are complex, the report said Nelson stands out for the high rate of discrimination reported by those experiencing homelessness. 

Almost a quarter (23 per cent) of respondents said discrimination contributed to their most recent loss of housing, while more than one-third identified stigma and discrimination as barriers to accessing housing and other services. 

For comparison, provincially only six per cent indicated that discrimination contributed to their most recent loss of housing. 

“The stigma on the visible vulnerable folks in this town, like the hate and rumours spread by the Neighbourhood Network, treating opinions like facts, creates a false reality and puts a target on our backs,” said an unhoused resident quoted in the report. 

“It is harder and harder to feel safe when it seems like everyone is afraid of me for something I had nothing to do with.” 

Rising rents and reduced vacancies 

The report identified the housing affordability crisis as the single most cited barrier to escaping homelessness in Nelson. 

In 2025, the average rent in Nelson reached $1,716 for a one-bedroom and $2,812 for a two-bedroom – a more than 40 per cent increase since 2023. 

Meanwhile, vacancy rates for bachelor and one-bedroom units remain at zero, which the report said leaves people already marginalized by poverty, disability or addiction without options. 

“Rental options remain scarce, expensive and highly competitive, with vacancy rates for one-bedroom and studio units lingering at 0.0 per cent for several years. This leaves individuals already marginalized by homelessness and poverty at a severe disadvantage,” said the report. 

A 2024 housing needs report conducted by the City of Nelson found a need for 3,104 new homes over the next two decades, with 43 per cent needing to be below market rent to meet community demand. 

Health, trauma and lack of services 

The report also highlighted the challenges faced by unhoused residents. 

Sixty-eight respondents reported struggles with mental health, 62 per cent reported substance-use challenges, 40 per cent had experienced a brain injury and 46 per cent said they lived with physical disabilities. 

Despite the urgent need, accessing health-care services in the community remains difficult, with 43 per cent of individuals experiencing homelessness citing lack of transportation, cost and physical or health disabilities as the largest barriers. 

Dental care, eye care and mental-health support were cited as the most needed but unavailable services. 

Community progress 

The report said 56 people have been housed through Nelson’s Coordinated Access System since 2021.  

The initiative, linked with the federal Reaching Home strategy, has seen local organizations including Nelson CARES, ANKORS and Street Outreach work together to provide harm reduction, shelter, advocacy and basic-needs services. 

However, demand is outpacing supply. 

“The majority of people who are homeless are children we fail, and they have been failed by systems of support all along the way,” said Dylan Griffith, Point-in-Time Survey co-ordinator. 

“We have a situation now where what we’re seeing is people are entering homelessness more easily and having much, much more difficulty getting out.”

The closure of the HUB Drop-In Centre on Vernon Street in 2024 created a major service gap, especially for those needing warmth, safety and connection. 

A temporary drop-in space has since opened one to two days a week, but the report said the community needs a full-time, low-barrier service hub. 

Recommended actions 

The 15th annual report acts as a call to the entire community to step up, speak out and support systemic change. 

With homelessness on the rise and housing becoming increasingly unattainable, the report urges businesses and governments to act now – not later. 

The report highlights several areas where immediate and sustained action is critical: 

• Support the creation of supportive, youth-specific, and complex-care housing. 

• Address the loss of low-barrier, multi-service hubs. 

• Strengthen and invest in harm reduction, mental health, and addiction services. 

• Confront and challenge stigma and discrimination. 

• Engage with people who have lived experience  

Residents are reminded that the crisis is not abstract. Fifty per cent of those currently unhoused in Nelson have lived in the community for more than a decade. 

“Everyone has a story. Without kindness and compassion, we are all vulnerable. I want to encourage my community to have more reason, intelligence and caring,” said Paula Kiss, business owner and former Nelson city councillor. 

“I want to be proud of our ability to look after each other. We must do better; we must care more.” 

You can read the full report here.  

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