The Homeless

While there has been a concerted effort in Stark County to provide affordable housing for Stark County residents, homelessness continues to be a serious problem facing the community.  The 2003 Point-in-Time Homeless Count from March 6, 2003 conducted by the Homeless Services Collaborative counted the number of Stark County homeless at 842 people.¹ This number represents those homeless individuals who have sought help from agencies in the community.

 
There are a number of reasons that are frequently cited by individuals as the cause of their homelessness.  These reasons include being put out by their family, loss of income, eviction, release from jail and prison, abuse or violence, release from a hospital or nursing home, being asked to leave a shelter and alcohol and drug abuse.²

There are a number of non-profit organizations in the community that provide services to the homeless.  The Stark County Housing Task Force is an umbrella organization that has representatives from local agencies, bankers, realtors and land lords that share the common goal of increasing housing opportunities in the community.  The Task Force operates without bylaws; their main purpose is to facilitate housing discussions. 

The Housing Task Force has initiated a Continuum of Care Program.  The program is based on a model from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.³ The Continuum of Care Program identifies the housing needs in the community and then seeks funding for those needs.  The Continuum of Care relies on a framework of inter-agency cooperation.

The Homeless Services Collaborative, a subcommittee of the Stark County Housing Task Force, operates with bylaws and a formal operating agreement.  The Homeless Services Collaborative is comprised of homeless service providers who sign a contract with the Collaborative.  The contract is required of organizations that wish to receive funding from the Continuum of Care.

In 2002, Stark County received over $2 million in Continuum of Care money from the government.  Seven programs received money, with the largest amount going to the Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority ($554,400).⁴

The National Alliance to End Homelessness has created a ten year plan to end chronic homelessness.  Chronic homelessness is defined as homelessness that lasts for a year or being homeless four times in three years.  The Alliance to End Homelessness plan focuses on both the chronically homeless and those in danger of becoming homeless.  The plan states “we will actively participate as partners to significantly increase affordable housing opportunities, access to health care, and effective support services for all extremely low-income Americans, particularly those who are homeless and those who have disabilities due to chronic health conditions.”⁵

One promising solution to chronic homelessness is supportive housing.  Supportive housing is housing linked to accessible mental health, substance addiction, employment, and other support services.⁶ 

There are noticeable gaps in service to the homeless that need to be addressed.  Homeless individuals with criminal records and prior evictions are not eligible for subsidized housing.  It is very difficult, then, for these people to ever break the cycle and find housing.  There is also a lack of shelter space and transitional housing in the community for single males and large families.