Ten-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness
in Macomb County
Macomb Homeless Coalition
(586) 783-0916
November 2004
The following individuals and agencies collaborated
in the development of the 10 Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness
in Macomb County:
Carlton Allen, Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA)
Fred Barbret, Smart Bus System
Barbara Bauman, Macomb County Community Services Agency (MCCSA)
Joelene Beckett, Macomb County Rotating Emergency Shelter (MCREST)
I.J. Campbell, City of Roseville
Dan Chambers, Salvation Army Transitional Housing Program
Robert Deneweth, United Way Community Services
Joan Flynn, Macomb County Commissioner
Carrie L. Fortune, Macomb Homeless Coalition
Julie Gibbons, Bath City Bistro
Kevin Goodrich, Macomb Warming Center
Margaret Hader, Downriver Community Services
Helen Klingert, Macomb County Community Mental Health Depart. of
Substance Abuse
Jimetta Lewis, Macomb County Rotating Emergency Shelter (MCREST)
Anne Lilla, Michigan State University Extension
Jean Marsh, Community Representative
Doreen McCardle, Solid Ground, Inc.
Linda McLatcher, Macomb St. Clair Workforce Development Board
Deborah McPeek, Turning Point, Inc.
Debra Murray, St. Joseph Hospital
Fred Pantalleresco, MCREST, Smith and Hubbard Houses
George Price, Macomb County Property Owner’s Association
and landlord
William Revior, Macomb County Commissioner
Jo Ann Rottenbucher, Michigan Dept. of Corrections/Macomb Circuit
Court Probation
Lauren Royston, Macomb County Planning and Economic Development
Joe Silbernagel, Clinton Township
Kathy Smith, Salvation Army
Steve Snyder, Salvation Army Transitional Housing Program
Jerry Thomas, Macomb County Community Mental Health
Dan VanNuck, Flagstar Bank
Jim Wargel, Macomb County Community Mental Health
Grady Wilkenson, Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Center, Inc.
Betty Young, City of Sterling Heights
Joan Zech, Macomb Health Department
The Interagency Council on Homelessness defines a chronically
homeless person as an unaccompanied individual who is disabled
and either has been continuously homeless for a year or more or
has had at least four homeless episodes during the last three years.
Disabilities or disabling conditions often include severe and persistent
mental illness, severe and persistent alcohol and/or drug abuse
problems, and HIV/AIDS. The federal government estimates that this
sub-population makes up 20% of the homeless population as a whole,
but uses 80% of the available services. Those services include
shelter, medical care/hospitalization and jail space.
In 2002,
President George W Bush called for the ending of chronic homelessness in the
next decade. So began the development of 10-year plans throughout the nation.
In February of 2004, the Macomb Homeless Coalition put together the Ending
Chronic Homelessness Taskforce that consists of 34 individuals from 29 agencies
and organizations. It includes local government officials and agency representatives,
homeless shelter and service providers, landlords, businesses, etc. The taskforce’s
responsibility was to develop the 10-Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness
in Macomb County.
The plan that was developed to end chronic homelessness in Macomb
County consists of five goals, each with accompanying strategies
to achieves the goals. The goals concern understanding homelessness,
addressing community barriers, increasing housing stock, outreach,
and education and services to prevent relapses.
Promote an Understanding of Homelessness
Too often
the homeless are thought of drug addicts and alcoholics who just
need to “pull themselves up by their bootstraps.” Although
38% of Macomb County’s homeless are chronic substance abusers
(Point in Time Survey conducted January 31, 2004), this
is not the entire picture. Mental illness is admitted by 38% of
the homeless (Point in Time Survey conducted January 31, 2004).
Domestic Violence is cited as the main reason for homelessness
by 9.5% of the homeless that entered Macomb County shelters between
January and August 2004. Also, 27% of the sheltered homeless stated
that they were working at least part-time at the time of intake.
Inadequate income was cited by 22% of the sheltered homeless as
the main reason for their situation.
One of the biggest hurdles
that new homeless shelter providers face is NIMBYism. They are struck down
repeatedly by residents and city zoning boards that say “Not in my backyard.” Much
of this NIMBYism comes from a misunderstanding of homelessness. In almost all
group presentations, there are people that do not realize that Macomb County’s
two emergency shelters (Macomb County Rotating Emergency Shelter {MREST} and
The Salvation Army’s Macomb’s Answer to Temporary Shelter {MATTS})
conduct breathalyzer and random drug tests to make sure that residents are
drug and alcohol free. Promoting an understanding of homelessness among the
cities, businesses, and general public must be addressed in order to end chronic
homelessness.
Address Community Barriers
Many community barriers face the homeless and the providers who
service them. In a 1999 report, 23 of 26 cities surveyed identified
a lack of affordable housing as a major cause of homelessness (US
Conference of Mayors on Hunger and Homelessness in American Cities).
According to the 2000 Census, the average rent in Macomb County
is $603. The fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Michigan
is $692. In Macomb County it is $801. This means that a person
working 40 hours per week would have to make approximately $15.40
per hour in order to afford a two-bedroom apartment in the county.
Someone making minimum wage would have to work 120 hours per week
to afford that same apartment. (National Low Income Housing
Coalition/LIHIS) A disabled individual collecting Social Security
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) at the maximum rate of $564
per month would be precluded from renting it. Certain zoning ordinances
prevent the creation of affordable housing and must be addressed.
There are other community barriers that must be addressed if we
are to end chronic homelessness. The county’s bus system
must be expanded. The homeless population relies on the bus system
to get them to job interviews, work, appointments, etc. They are
currently limited to bus routes that are insufficient. Discharging
institutions must develop policies that prevent a person from being
discharged into homelessness. Our shelters are seeing people straight
out of the hospital that need more care than can be provided in
a group setting. Homeless workers tend to make less money per hour,
which does not allow them the means to leave homelessness for housing.
Job training and placement must be part of the plan.
The cost of some community barriers is much higher then the cost
of housing the homeless. Each homeless client costs MCREST nearly
$30 per day. That is almost $900 for a 30 day stay. Each homeless
inmate costs the Macomb County Jail $56 per day without considering
the cost of medical care or medication. That is $1680 per month.
Our jail has an 82% recidivism rate. It cost $550 per day, or $16,500
per month, for a homeless person to receive treatment at St. Joseph
Mercy Hospital. Those living on the street far too often use jail
as an alternative to a cold night under a bridge. The chronically
homeless lack insurance and the ability to receive regular medical
care. The emergency room is usually their only means of receiving
medical treatment. It is far less expense for a person to be housed
in an apartment at $603 per month then our shelters, jail or hospitals.
It is better yet to raise the number of affordable housing units
available.
We must find solutions for all of these community barriers in order
to end chronic homelessness.
Increase Housing Stock to Include an Increase
in Emergency Shelter, Transitional Housing, Permanent Supportive
Housing and Safe Haven Beds
As outlined above, affordable housing is minimal in Macomb County.
This means that the homeless rely on the Continuum of Care system
of emergency shelters, transitional housing and permanent supportive
housing. We currently have 115 emergency shelter beds, not including
the warming center that runs November through March. These 115
beds provide shelter for homeless individuals and families who
are drug and alcohol free. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of the chronic
homeless are not. There are 52 transitional housing beds
for homeless individuals in the county. They all require a person
to be drug and alcohol free. There are currently four (4) permanent
supportive housing beds in the county. They are reserved for homeless
with developmental disabilities who are drug and alcohol free.
At this time, we do not have a safe haven in the county. A safe
haven is a special type of permanent supportive housing that houses
those with mental illness. Most of the residents have substance
abuse issues as well. There is a “no use on the premises” rule.
This is considered low demand. There is slow engagement of the
residents into services that are needed. What has been found in
safe havens nationwide is that once these clients with substance
abuse problems are housed, fed and receiving the correct services
(often times to include medication) they are able to overcome substance
abuse and the other issues that led to their homelessness. We must
develop a safe haven to end chronic homelessness for those who
currently have mental illness and substance abuse problems.
Perform Street Outreach to the Current
Homeless
Street outreach is another area of homeless services that has
been lacking in Macomb County. There has been a belief that there
is no reason to have street outreach when there aren’t any
beds available. There must be a shift in this thinking because
there are many other benefits of street outreach. With many new
lunch programs being developed, referrals for meals are always
helpful. Often times there are blankets and clothing available.
Information also needs to be disseminated about events and meals
for the homeless. Consistency of the same person checking on a
homeless individual facilitates easier access to public benefits
such as Social Security. The outreach specialist can also serve
as a contact for agencies that require an address when applying
for benefits. Outreach teams are needed in order provide referrals,
points of contact and, most of all, encouragement to those homeless
living on the streets. These teams need to be made up of individuals
with different areas of expertise in order for the homeless to
fully benefit.
Educate the Chronically Homeless on Preventing
Relapses
Far too
often a homeless individual is able to get into a permanent living
situation only to lose their housing a few months down the road.
Some of the most common reasons for this include high rent, low
pay, job loss and illness. The solution is to educate the homeless,
formerly homeless and low-income individuals on services available
to prevent homelessness. These services include public benefits
from mainstream resources, mental health services, substance abuse
counseling, and employment services.
Educating the consumer
is just the beginning of preventing relapses. Service providers, landlords
and agencies that deal with the homeless must also be aware of the services
provided. Prevention, or "closing the front door” to homelessness
as it is often called, is a required component to ending chronic homelessness.
Ending
chronic homelessness is so much more than providing a bed for each
homeless person. The Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness
in Macomb County is ambitious, but attainable. By accomplishing
the five goals developed by the Ending Chronic Homelessness Taskforce,
we will eradicate chronic homelessness in Macomb County within
the next ten years. To be a part of this exciting and necessary
endeavor, contact the Macomb Homeless Coalition at (586) 783-0916.
Goal A: Promote an understanding of homelessness
Strategy
A1: Solicit press coverage, including newspaper articles
Strategy A2: Create a panel of homeless & formerly homeless
persons to
speak at community and Coalition events
Strategy A3: Hold at least one public awareness event yearly
Strategy A4: Distribute information at community events,
such as fairs
and festivals
Strategy A5: Give yearly presentations to corporations and
businesses on homelessness in
the County and their ability to combat the issue
Goal B: Address community barriers
Strategy B1: Request
that the County do a study of zoning impediments to affordable
housing and then follow up the study by addressing city and County
zoning laws that preclude affordable housing
Strategy B2: Hold public awareness events to dispel the
NIMBY attitude
toward shelters, transitional housing and affordable housing in neighborhoods.
Strategy B3: Work with the SMART bus system to develop bus
routes
past
23 Mile Road and Gratiot. Work with SEMCOG’s ride share program.
Strategy B4: Continue to develop and monitor discharge policies
of
Macomb
County Jail, local hospitals, Martha T. Berry, and the Family Independence
Agency’s foster care system.
Strategy B5: Develop relationships with local temporary
employment
agencies in order to address low wages paid to homeless temporary workers.
Goal C: Increase housing stock to include an increase in emergency
shelter, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, and
safe haven beds
Strategy C1: Creating 25 transitional housing
beds and 25 permanent
supportive housing beds in Macomb County every 18 months. This will create approximately
266 new beds for the
chronically homeless.
Strategy C2: Creating a Safe Haven in Macomb County, which
will create
25 new beds for the chronically homeless.
Strategy C3: Extend Warming Center’s months of operation
*** Funding for the new beds may
come from:
- HOME funds (rehabilitation; 15%
nonprofits)
- HUD Super NOFA
- §811
- CDBG (Community Development Block Grant)
- Capital Fund/Banks
- Corporations and businesses
Goal D: Perform street outreach to the current homeless
Strategy D1: Hold yearly Community Connection Days (stand-down
type
events) for the
chronically homeless that includes food, clothing, and access to social
service agencies’ personnel
Strategy D2: Open a one-stop shop for the homeless to access
mainstream resource programs. This may be attached to a Safe
Haven, Transitional Housing project, etc)
Strategy D3: Develop outreach teams made up of trained
individuals who
will
go out on a regular basis to offer medical treatment and/or
referrals, mainstream resource referrals, housing referrals,
etc.
Strategy D4: Regularly perform public awareness campaigns
in areas
frequented
by the chronically homeless (laundry mats, soup kitchens,
etc)
Goal E: Educate the chronically homeless
on preventing relapses
Strategy E1: Provide the chronically homeless with
- Employment services and job training
- Substance abuse counseling
- A full range of mental health services
- Links to low income housing
- Links to mainstream resources
Strategy E2: Educate the public regarding available prevention
services
through a booklet distributed to:
- Michigan Works
- FIA
- LAD/Lakeshore legal aids
- CMH
- Substance Abuse Providers
- Churches
- Good Shepherd Coalition
- Hospitals
- Party Stores/grocery stores
- Trailor park managers
- Landlords
Strategy
E3: Include prevention services in an educational forum
|
Download
Document 