About 400 previously homeless people in Greater Victoria have been housed in the past 18 months, according to the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness.

"It's certainly a great start," said Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin, coalition co-chairman. "Having said that, it's an indication that we have to double our efforts, recognizing that the big challenge we're having right now is housing." Since the coalition started its work in October 2007, 594 people have been helped in moving from the streets into homes, and 400 were still in homes as of March 31, says a coalition report being released today.

A count of homeless people in Greater Victoria two years ago pegged the number at 1,242. The count was conducted by Cool Aid, which helps homeless people, and was widely thought to be an under-count.

"It's impossible to know where we'll be in seven or eight years," said Robert Mitchell, coalition project manager. "At the very least, if we can create housing for 1,500 people over seven or eight years, we will feel we have done a gargantuan task." Fortin said the coalition's efforts are starting to make a difference on Victoria's streets. He's hearing anecdotally that people are feeling better about downtown. But he admits there's a long way to go.

"It's not going to be the quick fix that ends people asking you for money on street corners," Fortin said.

"We know that there are some larger issues around poverty, addictions and mental health. But we can't take any steps without having housing to start with." Fortin said investments in social housing pay off in many areas.

"We know that the money spent on policing and on cleanup and on emergency visits and health-care costs all can be reduced by a housing-first approach. So what we need to do is successfully convince the federal and provincial governments that in the end they can save money and still provide a quality of life for those less fortunate than us." Fortin attributed progress to date to several factors, including:- Support from the Vancouver Island Health Authority's Assertive Community Treatment outreach teams.

- Co-operation from apartment owners and managers.

- Increased funding from the province and the Capital Regional District for new housing.

- Increased funding from the health authority for services such as 21 new detox and stabilization beds.

- Support from area municipalities.

Over the past 18 months, 258 units of supportive housing and 109 units of transition housing have been either added, protected from demolition or redevelopment, or committed to be built over the next two years, the coalition report says.

Fortin said the challenges ahead include co-ordinating all the efforts of various levels of government in addressing homelessness and finding the money to create more housing.

The report says that of those who remain housed about 74 per cent are in market housing, 16 per cent in supportive housing and 10 per cent in transitional housing.

Of the 40 people in transitional housing who remain housed, four have moved to permanent housing.