Why This Measure Matters​

The occupancy rate of available shelter beds provides crucial insight into how effectively our community is utilizing its shelter resources. By comparing these occupancy rates with shelter capacity and with the number of households on the Housing Interest pool seeking shelter, we can better understand the current gap in emergency shelter needs. Tracking this measure also helps us identify vacancies, enabling more efficient placement of individuals in need. Furthermore, consistently low occupancy rates at a specific shelter could indicate underlying issues that may require attention and improvement.

What’s the Story?​

Since tracking has begun, shelter bed occupancy rates have ranged between 88-90%.

Our target is 80% occupancy. This allows for reasonable turnover time (including necessary cleaning and/or repairs) and shows us if the number of beds available is adequate for the number of people in need. An occupancy rate consistently above 80% indicates that the need exceeds the number of available beds. An occupancy rate consistently below 80% indicates the opposite.

Target

80% occupancy

Reporting Frequency​

Quarterly