What are the considerations for developing a supportive strategy for hoarding behaviours?
Project Description: The City of Hamilton’s Tenant Support Program assists residents by providing public education and training, financial and legal support, and by making referrals to appropriate community-based supports with the goal of limiting experiences of homelessness. One of the reasons a tenant can find themselves facing eviction is due to impacts of hoarding behaviours. The City of Hamilton is looking to gather information to better understand the hoarding behaviours. The project shall undertake research to examine several key areas including:
Define a range of types of hoarding behaviours
Identify the current state of hoarding-specific supports in Hamilton
Review what other municipalities are doing to effectively intervene in cases where hoarding behaviours result in an elevated risk of eviction
Summarize research on interventions related to hoarding disorder, identifying best practices
Explore what a Hamilton-centered hoarding strategy may consider.
The goal of the project is to map Hamilton’s hoarding support gaps, explore best practices, and recommend stronger pathways for vulnerable tenants.
City Staff: Evan Johnston, Healthy and Safe Communities Department
Deliverables: Primary and Secondary research
Project Start Date/ Availability: Fall 2026
Location: City Wide
City Strategy Priority: Healthy and Safe Communities