Safe At Home: Housing Unit Takeover Project

This study investigated “Housing Unit Takeovers,” or HUTs: situations in which vulnerable tenants are forced to accommodate unwanted guests in their homes. During HUTs, vulnerable tenants allow people into their homes to fulfill unmet social, economic, and personal needs. Supported by a grant from the City of Toronto, the Dream Team began work on the Safe At Home project in April of 2016 using a community-based participatory research model. Our findings are based on the results of 56 resident surveys, 24 resident interviews, 146 non-resident surveys, 2 staff interviews, and focus group discussions. We also conducted two roundtable discussions and an open dialogue through the City of Toronto’s Specialized Interdivisional Enhanced Response (SPIDER) program. To learn more about this study, please download our report.

If you believe you may be experiencing a Housing Unit Takeover, take the self assessment test below. If you find you have answered yes to many of these questions, then it is likely you are experiencing a HUT