As I, along with numerous other advocates point out at every opportunity we can, it's not so much the lack of affordable housing that is causing such a housing shortage for folks here in Nashville - although that does play a role - it's the lack of money and/or available subsidies for rent....
Economic downturn opens up apartments for homeless people
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10:17 PM PDT on Friday, May 1, 2009
By SONJA BJELLANDThe Press-Enterprise
The current economic downturn has brought a surprising benefit for those who help the homeless.
Apartments are more readily available.
"A year ago we were begging people for a place; now people are calling us," said Don Smith, who manages Riverside's efforts to aid the homeless.
Having enough affordable housing has been the biggest challenge. But other barriers also prevent the homeless from obtaining and remaining in housing -- substance abuse, mental health issues and inadequate income.
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Rodrigo Peña/The Press-Enterprise
Joe Ray, left, and Red Martin, center, roommates who recently moved into an apartment, speak with Roman Aguilar, a homeless outreach specialist from the city of Riverside.
"There are a lot of hard-working people out there, including the homeless, who simply cannot afford housing in our market," Smith said.
The aim of the city program and of groups that aid the homeless is to keep people in a home and find homes for people living on the streets. The stereotype of someone who is homeless -- unkempt, asking for money with bags or shopping cart in tow -- makes up about 10 percent of Riverside's homeless population, Smith said. But those considered chronically homeless take up 50 percent of the resources.
Riverside started its effort about three years ago and saw a 15 percent decrease in the first two years, Smith said.
Panhandlers at freeway ramps are not usually homeless, team members say. Police ticket or arrest aggressive panhandlers and try to connect them to groups that can provide resources, said Lt. Vic Williams. But a motorist donating perpetuates the problem.
"It'd be a lot more effective for people to donate or support those organizations," he said.
OUTREACH TEAM
These days, when the city's homeless outreach team finds a person like James Ramsey, who wants to start living in an apartment, the process may take a couple months instead of much longer.
For now, Ramsey is in a hotel awaiting apartment life. That doesn't mean he stays cooped up inside. He likes being on the streets during the day. But he wants a safe place to sleep at night and the main selling point is a stove and refrigerator.
"I can go and relax and get something to eat without standing in line," he said.
Ramsey, 62, is among the 600 to 800 people the four team members meet with annually. The team van carries forms, files and a copier to keep track of important documents for the clients. The staff helps homeless residents apply for veteran's benefits, for example, or for disability or social security. Other times residents need an identification card or bus passes to pick up prescriptions.
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Rodrigo Peña/The Press-Enterprise
Homeless outreach specialists such as Rosa Govea help people navigate the red tape involved with government resources.
The staff develops a plan specific to each person listing the steps it will take to get them into an apartment. After meeting with someone, the workers verify the person's story, run a criminal background check and determine what resources may work.
At North Park in Riverside, specialists Roman Aguilar and Arcadia Oropeza-Kendall met with two men who recently moved into an apartment. But Joe Ray, 44, still needs help getting an ID, working through the unemployment process and getting into detox. His roommate, Red Martin, 63, said they are behind on rent and utilities after trying to live on $700 a month. But they don't want to go back to being homeless. The biggest challenge to getting an apartment before was finding enough money for the deposit and first month's rent.
"I just got my social security going but it's not enough to pay the rent," Martin said.
AROUND THE REGION
Riverside and San Bernardino counties have 10-year plans to end homelessness. Both are in their infancy.
San Bernardino County is about to launch its first street team in about a month, said Christy Hamilton, a homeless-services staff analyst. That team will focus on San Bernardino, Rialto and Colton and then expand.
Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone recently ratcheted up efforts to house Southwest Riverside County's homeless population, which has increased due to rising unemployment and people losing their homes, by pledging $2.5 million of county and federal dollars to build a shelter in the Murrieta area.
The newly formed Temecula-Murrieta Rescue Mission, a joint venture of a Temecula-area church and the Orange County Rescue Mission, hopes to operate the shelter. No site has been picked, but officials said it would likely be in Temecula.
Murrieta Mayor Gary Thomasian said his city may partner with the agencies on the proposed shelter or build one of its own.
Riverside County has an outreach team in the desert area run by the Department of Mental Health, said Ron Stewart, homeless programs manager. But the team hasn't been able to set up a program like Riverside's. The current federal focus is on permanent housing so grants pay for the housing but not his liaisons, Stewart said. He hoped local money could go toward the staff but that dried up, too.
"Right now we're just a victim of the environment," he said.
Staff writer Aaron Burgin contributed to this report. Reach Sonja Bjelland at 951-368-9642 or sbjelland@PE.com
