A recent study by RAND sheds light on how crucial permanent housing is and will continue to be for the homeless population.
The study was focused on homelessness in Los Angeles, a city which is known for its large homeless population. The county health department started a program aimed at ending homelessness in Los Angeles by moving frequent users of health services who are homeless into supportive housing called Housing For Health.
Since the program’s start, it has moved 3500 people off the streets of Los Angeles. Out of 900 participants, 96% have stayed in the program for over a year. Program participants spent 75% less time in the hospital and had 70% fewer visits to the ER.
This evidence clearly indicates that moving those who are homeless into permanent, supportive housing makes a difference.
The study also showed an improvement in overall mental health when participants remain in the program. All of our residents at WHC have at least one diagnosed disability. With structured, supportive housing and programming, we are able to have a high success rate helping to break the cycle of homelessness. Learn more about what we do here.
Here at WHC, we focus on engaging our residents in meaningful activities that will help promote good values and habits. One of the programs that we periodically engage our residents with is book club.
This month, residents have been reading “Same Kind Of Different As Me,” which is about a couple who forms a relationship with a homeless man who inspires them to save their struggling marriage.
Not only is this book inspiring for residents to read because of the positive themes that it has throughout, it also shows situations that are similar to what some of our residents experience and how these situations can be turned around.
In our book club, residents are invited to listen to the book on audio. This means that no matter what their reading level is, they can participate in the club and feel included. We get the unabridged versions of the book so that if a resident wants to read along with the audio, they can. If a participant sees words they don’t know, they can work through them while listening to the book.
We enjoy getting the opportunity to not only reinforce positive themes in our residents’ lives, but also provide a learning opportunity for those whose reading levels may not be as high as others.
To learn more about the programs we offer, click here.
Recently, United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Ben Carson, announced two new proposed regulations that would be detrimental to those currently living in low-income housing or those who are already struggling to afford rent.
The first of these regulations deals with those who are in public and HUD-assisted housing. For this type of housing, the rent that the person pays depends on their gross adjusted income. Currently, a person must pay 30% of their gross adjusted income. With the proposed regulation, it would raise the payment to 35%. Imagine a person who lives on disability. If this person only gets a few hundred dollars a month, every penny counts. That 5% could mean the difference between putting dinner on the table on a nightly basis or not.
The second proposed regulation would triple (Yes, you read that right!) the minimum rent that the lowest income households can have. Currently, it is $50. The new proposal would make it $150. What does this mean? The people who are seeing their rents triple could very well be homeless soon after this regulation goes into effect.
It’s easy to see, when you lay out the facts, how these two proposals could increase the homelessness rate throughout the United States. Although these regulations may not pass the House & Senate, it’s important that we raise our voices against these issues and ensure that the general public knows that these things COULD happen. It’s up to us to prevent it.
In March our staff participated in a retreat moderated by J.C. Faulk, MSOD, the founder of Circles of Voices, LLC, a diversity and inclusion consulting firm. Faulk led our team in exercises around communication, culture awareness, and team building.
The retreat was held off site where we could create a safe space for us to share and listen to each other without judgement. Our objective was to lay the foundation to build work structures based on positive relationships. Through listening and sharing exercises, we learned how to better communicate with each other. One on one activities allowed us to share with someone and step outside our comfort zone.
Retreats such as this are necessary to help us achieve lasting growth and change for WHC. When our team communicates and works at its best, we are better able to serve our residents and our community. We walked away from the retreat with a renewed commitment to the work we do and the residents we serve.
If you would like to learn more about what we do and why we do it, click here. To find out ways you can support us in our mission, click here.
In March I heard Bryan Stevenson speak at Loyola. He is the Executive Director and founder of the Equal Justice Initiative and the author of the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Just Mercy. Stevenson challenged the audience to change the narrative around poverty, drugs and social justice. What if we considered the other side of poverty not to be wealth but rather social justice – justice in terms of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society? Doesn’t everyone deserve to have a roof over their head and a warm dry place to sleep at night? Currently, many people do not have a fair shot at this simple concept of a safe, consistent place to sleep indoors.
Housing costs are also the most expensive part of most people’s budget. 52% of Baltimore City residents are renters; of that number 55% pay too much for housing costs. In Baltimore City, the median two bedroom apartment costs before utilities would require someone to make $27 per hour to have rent equal 30% of their gross income. The numbers are not much better for a single person as the average one bedroom would require an income of $21.50 per hour (That’s $44,700 a year.) Ensuring that people get and stay housed should be important to our city.
As I have become more proximate to people who have experienced homelessness, I have realized that Stevenson is right. As a society we are shaping the discussion incorrectly. Why do people assume that a person experiencing homelessness made a mistake; that they did something wrong? Why when a person gets addicted do we assume that they are entirely to blame? Why don’t we assume that we have as a society let them down by allowing them to live in poverty, hopelessness, pain or despair without help or hope?
On the other hand, why don’t we assume that we are not creating enough opportunities for people? Why don’t we assume that the mental health system has failed them? Why do we allow a healthcare system that can bankrupt someone due to illness? Why don’t we demand better public education? Why don’t we help make housing affordable?
People live on the streets because we have framed the ‘housing question’ around being worthy of housing or earning one’s housing. Things that you and I take completely for granted… eating what and when we want, turning the light out at night when we want, going to the bathroom when we need to… are either not available to some people or worse can be a crime when committed because there is nowhere to legally do so. Shelters ask people to arrive at a certain time each night and leave at a certain time each morning… where you relieve yourself during the day is up to your creativity until they open up again that evening. How many times have you seen signs saying “Restrooms for Paying Customers Only”? However, public bathrooms are hard to find and public urination can land you in jail.
Permanent supportive housing is less expensive per person per night than temporary housing – often less than half the cost. It merely requires a longer commitment up front. In order to end homelessness we need to make social justice a priority.
If you are from Baltimore, it might not come as a shock when we say Baltimore’s public transportation system is lacking in many ways. Baltimore has only one subway line that runs from east to west and one rail line that runs from north to south. These two systems only intersect in one place, making it very hard to go from point A to B without having to make many stops and detours along the way.
The buses in Baltimore are another part of this problem. The time it takes to commute on buses directly impacts our residents here at WHC. We view three or more doctors appointments in one week as an “activity” because of the time it takes our residents to get to these appointments. One doctor’s appointment can take up most of a resident’s day because of public transportation.
The bus stops are not widely spread out and the routes are not adequate to transport those who need transportation. Not only that, but bus passes are a great expense ($68/month) to someone making minimum wage, who cannot afford extra expenses.
All of these issues leave Baltimore with a serious public transportation issue that strongly impacts those who need mobility most. For those who do not have a car and cannot afford to Uber everywhere, a well-oiled bus and subway system is necessary to get around. As a community, we need to raise our voices to the city of Baltimore to let them know that something must be done about public transportation.
At Women’s Housing Coalition, we believe that there are No throw away people.
Not even if they’ve been homeless.
Not even if they’ve struggled with mental illness or addiction.
Not even if they have kids.
At Women’s Housing Coalition, we help women and their children …
Get housed
Stay housed
And we help them obtain the tools & skills they need to stay housed forever and have a chance for a healthy life.
We believe … people should have a safe and stable home to live in while they work on the issues that led to their homelessness.
We believe … people with disabilities, mental health concerns, and addictions can best address those concerns when housed with no timelines or program required expectations. We believe … when they can have faith in keeping their home without fear of losing it, then with our support and their hard work they can best address the problems that led to their homelessness.
At the Women’s Housing Coalition, we believe in giving people Another Chance.
That’s why 100% of our residents, formerly homeless individuals who struggle with a variety of disabilities are given just that … Another Chance.
We can’t do that without you!
With your help, our residents have a HOME, for less money than remaining homeless in a shelter. Some bring their children with them, and we make sure those kids get the supportive services they need, too.
Our housing program also reduces healthcare costs for the individual and for the community as a whole … because people who have a home don’t use the emergency room to get healthier. We also help them navigate the health care system before there’s a crisis.
If you take our entire budget – which runs all of our buildings, pays rent to our landlords, pays our staff, covers our program and administrative costs, and divide that by the 124 people we house at any point in time, we spend only $15,600 per person per year.
Permanent supportive housing is more effective and cheaper, over a year, than the cost of providing beds in a shelter. Plus, it’s more dignified and, most importantly, permanent.
Last year, our 98 slots supported change for 125 different households. We operate 4 housing buildings in Baltimore City. Beyond that, we work directly with landlords to provide additional rental homes for the rest of our residents.
Last year, because of changes in the federal HUD program, we housed more of the most vulnerable and most needy residents than we’ve ever served before. On average our residents have incomes well under $10,000 and have multiple disability diagnoses. This means they are dealing with multiple issues that led to them becoming homeless. In response, we’ve added more intensive staffing and life-skills programs to keep everyone safe and stable. It takes a lot of time and hard work on both sides.
That means our needs are greater than they’ve ever been. And the lives of the women you just met are, quite genuinely, hanging in the balance.
We need you to …
Be a superhero of change!
We need you to …
Protect the WHC’s mission and help other people experiencing homelessness get stable housing and supportive services!
We need you to …
Open your hearts and …PowerUP!
PowerUp with WHC and become a Superhero of Change.
You can PowerUp by:
Becoming a corporate volunteer partner
Sharing our message and mission so more people know more about WHC.
Making a direct donation.
For example, if 200 more people made a $75 donation, that’s the equivalent of housing 1 additional person for an entire year for $15,000. Now that’s the Power of Powering Up.
Ms. Jane, a former WHC resident, recently sent me a letter. Prior to becoming involved with our housing program in the early 2000s. Ms. Jane experienced homelessness due to untreated mental health issues.
Jane wrote, “With the help of WHC’s housing and support, I was able to …
Get my mental health problems under control
return to school
obtain a master’s degree
and move into my own apartment.”
She eventually left the program and maintains her own apartment. She attached a $400 check in honor of her retirement indicating,
“As a remembrance to the WHC for the support you provided me in my time of need … I want to help brighten the lives for some of your current residents.”
The gifts you give will do more than just brighten lives. They will, without exaggeration, make those lives, possible.
We are coming up on our 39th year serving women and their families in need. This is the perfect opportunity to reflect back on how far we’ve come as an organization, and how far we still have to go as a nation.
The Women’s Housing Coalition (WHC) was founded in 1979 by a group of women who were distressed by the number of homeless women in Baltimore City. By 1980, this group of women began finding buildings where women living on the streets could go to have a chance at a fresh start.
In 1990, WHC opened Maryland’s first single room occupancy (SRO) project for the homeless and also the first permanent housing facility for homeless women. That residence, the Calverton, is still owned and operated by WHC today.
Since then, we have developed a program that integrates housing and supportive services. This is because we believe that the best response to such barriers is permanent housing combined with the targeted supportive services that help women stay on the path of personal development and growth. Services that we offer include everything from personal development classes, to budgeting classes, to daycare.
WHC was started by a group of women who saw the critical need for housing for women who had no other options – women who were making minimum wage, working 40 hours a week, and who couldn’t afford to even rent a one-bedroom apartment and keep food on the table. That need still exists, and some may say the need is even greater today.
The gap between the amount of affordable housing available and the number of people in need of it is absolutely staggering. Rental prices continue to skyrocket with no end in site, and affordable housing vouchers are extremely hard to come by. We help make a dent in the number of women living in Baltimore who may otherwise be homeless, or not be able to provide for their children. We’re actively working to grow and help to solve the issues that Baltimore faces, but we’re only one piece of the puzzle.
Use your voice to speak up about the housing crisis facing Baltimore and the nation. Let’s work together to end the cycle of homelessness. Learn more about WHC and donate to our cause.
Recently, you may have heard that the city of Baltimore broken up several homeless encampments. In particular, the one that was situated under the Interstate 83 overpass. In the span of six hours, all persons and their possessions were cleared out.
Twenty-five people were moved into a temporary housing program, while others decided to stay in downtown emergency shelters, with several walking away … with no plans or destination.
It was announced two weeks prior that the encampment would be cleared, due to unclean conditions, dangerous behavior and the risk of hypothermia in cold weather. While this is portrayed as humane, it is not a great outcome for those people who are experiencing homelessness. In fact, in reality, it actually makes it harder on the individuals involved. Removing trash and/or providing spot a pots could be just as humane.
Many occupants did not want to be transferred to the temporary housing program, citing a distrust of the system and the program. Temporary housing programs are sometimes known for being unsafe. Negative experiences and violence are common in these programs, so some feel safer living on the streets. Several of those that chose temporary housing are already back on the street.
Not only this, but clearing encampments just to transfer to temporary housing is only a band-aid over a broken bone. It does nothing to solve the problem of the lack of affordable housing here in Baltimore; it only temporarily eases the anxieties of those who don’t want to see the problem.
As many of you probably already know, the new tax bill recently passed Congress, which may unfortunately have some detrimental impacts to affordable housing and nonprofits like WHC.
While the bill itself is finalized, everyone is agreed that the tax cuts are not yet fully funded. This means that there will likely be future cuts to programs such as Medicaid, Medicare and many of HUD’s programs. This has already evidenced itself in President Trump’s budget (which will be modified as it goes through the House and the Senate). Experts estimate the bill could “reduce federal funding for subsidized housing in the state by 20 percent, translating to roughly $500 million a year of projects and 4,000 new units lost.” (Mercury News).
In addition, housing programs that were funded via tax incentives are going to be negatively affected. “Private activity bonds,” which have for years helped low-income families get affordable housing, will lose their tax exempt status. Bonds like these help keep construction costs down on the housing, which allows companies to charge less money to rent or buy. By losing their tax exempt status, contractors will be forced to charge more, making housing even less affordable. While the efficacy of such programs has been challenged, with no replacement programs or increased funding to existing programs, the negative effect on affordable housing can not be denied.
Unintended effects on programs funded via tax incentives will also include tax credit programs like the Low Income Housing Tax Credit. This program while still in place will raise less money for projects utilizing such funding in that with lower corporate tax rates, the value of the credits being sold will also be lower. There is offsetting reduction to construction costs making it even harder to finance affordable housing construction.
The tax bill may also negatively affect nonprofits like WHC. Due to the increase in the individual exemption and limitations of other deductions many people will no longer be itemizing their deductions, making it less appealing for taxpayers to give more to nonprofits throughout the year. This is especially true for many people who may simultaneously be paying higher taxes. What will happen to donations to nonprofits like ours, where homelessness may not be at the top of taxpayers’ lists for giving?
Continuing to make your support of WHC (and other local charities making a difference in our community) a priority will allow us to continue to provide housing to those most in need (people who have experienced homelessness). Help us fight for affordable housing for low-income residents. Help us help people who society often forgets. Safe, dignified, quality housing should be available to everyone.
