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Twin counties receive $1M to combat homelessness
By Francesca Olsen
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
COLUMBIA COUNTY — The state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance announced Thursday that $25 million in homelessness prevention grants through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act have been awarded in New York. Columbia Opportunities received $584,962, and Community Action of Greene County received $347,889, which is enough for both agencies to make great changes in the way the twin counties address homelessness prevention and housing issues.
Services to be provided with the grant include short and medium term rental assistance, legal services, case management, help locating affordable housing, and financial counseling. Nothing matching the amount of these grants has ever been awarded to either agency before.
“We are extremely excited and are working feverishly to do what we have to do to get this contract in place by October 1,” said Tina Sharpe, executive director at Columbia Opportunities.
In Columbia County, the grant will pay for two components. Columbia Opportunities will be contracting with the Legal Aide Society of Northeasten New York for one attorney/case manager position who will work in Columbia County. “That attorney would provide advice and brief service representation to families that are at risk of homelessness,” said Sharpe. This would include attempting to prevent eviction, assisting tenants to secure repairs to their homes, or preventing utility disconnect. Some housing assistance, like help with rent payments, will be paid directly to landlords.
The other component is “Rapid Re-housing” for those who have already become homeless. “We will be working to speed up their movement into either transitional housing placements or permanent housing. We would be providing direct financial assistance for housing fees, and other household startup costs ... things you need to do to get a person into an apartment,” Sharpe said.
The help is just for renters. The grant offers no funding for the prevention of mortgage foreclosures. Sharpe expects to serve 85 households with the grant money, and 24 households for Rapid Re-housing over the 22 months the grant will be paid out. “Not all of them would be receiving every element of the program. Some people, for example, will receive legal assistance as well as housing assistance,” she said.
“We do believe that this particular grant will help us to change the way our community provides services to homeless families. We see it as a huge asset to the community,” said Sharpe.
Columbia Opportunities will work with the county Department of Social Services and other local housing providers. “We expect to honestly change the protocols that are in place. We’ve never had these tools in our toolbox before,” Sharpe said. “To have these funds available is certainly unprecedented.”
Columbia Opportunities has, in the past, gotten grant funding for emergency shelters and direct housing assistance, but nothing like this. The largest previous grant, Sharpe said, was around $75,000, and it had to be matched dollar for dollar. This grant has no requirement for matching funds, but requires that at least 70 percent of the funding is spent on direct housing assistance for families (single individuals as well as those with children will be served via the funding).
Lawrence Ohle, executive director of Community Action of Greene County, said 78 percent of her agency’s share of the grant will go to direct relief. “We were very lucky. It’s absolutely needed,” she said.
Ohle anticipates that Community Action will serve around 118 households with the grant. Part of the grant is for mid-term assistance; it can help a family with rent, if they qualify, for up to 18 months. “We budgeted and devised our plan thinking no more than eight months, but for each person it’s going to be different,” Ohle said. “There’s some wiggle room. There will be some modifications as we go along.”
In Greene County, the grant will also provide funding for a case manager to work with victims of domestic violence who will be leaving domestic violence shelters. “We have that position now in Greene County funded through Social Services. We were lucky to get this homeless prevention and rapid re-housing funding,” Ohle said. The full time position will be split between the twin counties.
Community Action will also hire a case manager with the grant funding, in the same fashion as Columbia County. The grant pays for the salary and benefits of the case manager for 22 months, the full duration of the grant. “If the state assumes that some contractors will not expend as much money as they’ve been awarded ... at some point, if it looks like someone is not spending their money it may be reallocated to another agency,” Ohle said, which might extend the case manager’s time.
“This is different for us,” Ohle said. “We’ve never seen anything like it. Previously, for any kind of assistance with utility or rents, what we try to do is access funding through private foundations or resources. This is amazing, to be able to help this many people.”
A Friday morning meeting of the Columbia-Greene Housing Coalition focused on how to change the way the agencies will provide services. One thing that has been an issue for some time is that only short-term help has been available. For example, funds have been only able to provide help with one month’s rent for families.
“That is really a Band-Aid,” said Sharpe. “It can be helpful to people who have had a sudden disruption of their income who maybe missed a week of work because their child was sick, but we have people who live from paycheck to paycheck. These are issues that can’t necessarily be fixed with one month’s rent.”
With the grant, the agencies can provide help with up to 18 months of rent as long as a family continues to meet the criteria, which is checked every three months.
Finding affordable housing is another problem. “Right now, in both counties, there’s a shortage of affordable housing. We have a case manager to help people find housing, but the housing isn’t there that people can afford,” said Ohle. “For some families, it’s a choice: do you pay your rent? Do you pay your utilities? Do you put food on the table?”
“We’re very excited about this,” said Columbia County Commissioner of Social Services Paul Mossman. “We’re ecstatic that we’re able to obtain the funding for what I would consider is a wonderful opportunity to address the homeless needs here in Columbia County.”
“We look forward in partnering with Columbia Opportunities in developing what I think would be changing the way we deal with homelessness. This grant will allow us some flex, and hopefully be more specific to our community in regard to working with the families and individuals who not only are chronically homeless, but those who are facing potential homelessness.
“It’s not going to be the only solution. If we are able to have a starting point ... it goes hand in hand with this whole continuum of services for the homeless population. If we can prevent homelessness for some, I think that will give us an opportunity to reallocate our resources and to build on something where we can minimize the need for an emergency shelter.”
To reach reporter Francesca Olsen call 518-828-1616, ext. 2272, or e-mail folsen@registerstar.com. To comment directly on this story, visit www.registerstar.com.
Services to be provided with the grant include short and medium term rental assistance, legal services, case management, help locating affordable housing, and financial counseling. Nothing matching the amount of these grants has ever been awarded to either agency before.
“We are extremely excited and are working feverishly to do what we have to do to get this contract in place by October 1,” said Tina Sharpe, executive director at Columbia Opportunities.
In Columbia County, the grant will pay for two components. Columbia Opportunities will be contracting with the Legal Aide Society of Northeasten New York for one attorney/case manager position who will work in Columbia County. “That attorney would provide advice and brief service representation to families that are at risk of homelessness,” said Sharpe. This would include attempting to prevent eviction, assisting tenants to secure repairs to their homes, or preventing utility disconnect. Some housing assistance, like help with rent payments, will be paid directly to landlords.
The other component is “Rapid Re-housing” for those who have already become homeless. “We will be working to speed up their movement into either transitional housing placements or permanent housing. We would be providing direct financial assistance for housing fees, and other household startup costs ... things you need to do to get a person into an apartment,” Sharpe said.
The help is just for renters. The grant offers no funding for the prevention of mortgage foreclosures. Sharpe expects to serve 85 households with the grant money, and 24 households for Rapid Re-housing over the 22 months the grant will be paid out. “Not all of them would be receiving every element of the program. Some people, for example, will receive legal assistance as well as housing assistance,” she said.
“We do believe that this particular grant will help us to change the way our community provides services to homeless families. We see it as a huge asset to the community,” said Sharpe.
Columbia Opportunities will work with the county Department of Social Services and other local housing providers. “We expect to honestly change the protocols that are in place. We’ve never had these tools in our toolbox before,” Sharpe said. “To have these funds available is certainly unprecedented.”
Columbia Opportunities has, in the past, gotten grant funding for emergency shelters and direct housing assistance, but nothing like this. The largest previous grant, Sharpe said, was around $75,000, and it had to be matched dollar for dollar. This grant has no requirement for matching funds, but requires that at least 70 percent of the funding is spent on direct housing assistance for families (single individuals as well as those with children will be served via the funding).
Lawrence Ohle, executive director of Community Action of Greene County, said 78 percent of her agency’s share of the grant will go to direct relief. “We were very lucky. It’s absolutely needed,” she said.
Ohle anticipates that Community Action will serve around 118 households with the grant. Part of the grant is for mid-term assistance; it can help a family with rent, if they qualify, for up to 18 months. “We budgeted and devised our plan thinking no more than eight months, but for each person it’s going to be different,” Ohle said. “There’s some wiggle room. There will be some modifications as we go along.”
In Greene County, the grant will also provide funding for a case manager to work with victims of domestic violence who will be leaving domestic violence shelters. “We have that position now in Greene County funded through Social Services. We were lucky to get this homeless prevention and rapid re-housing funding,” Ohle said. The full time position will be split between the twin counties.
Community Action will also hire a case manager with the grant funding, in the same fashion as Columbia County. The grant pays for the salary and benefits of the case manager for 22 months, the full duration of the grant. “If the state assumes that some contractors will not expend as much money as they’ve been awarded ... at some point, if it looks like someone is not spending their money it may be reallocated to another agency,” Ohle said, which might extend the case manager’s time.
“This is different for us,” Ohle said. “We’ve never seen anything like it. Previously, for any kind of assistance with utility or rents, what we try to do is access funding through private foundations or resources. This is amazing, to be able to help this many people.”
A Friday morning meeting of the Columbia-Greene Housing Coalition focused on how to change the way the agencies will provide services. One thing that has been an issue for some time is that only short-term help has been available. For example, funds have been only able to provide help with one month’s rent for families.
“That is really a Band-Aid,” said Sharpe. “It can be helpful to people who have had a sudden disruption of their income who maybe missed a week of work because their child was sick, but we have people who live from paycheck to paycheck. These are issues that can’t necessarily be fixed with one month’s rent.”
With the grant, the agencies can provide help with up to 18 months of rent as long as a family continues to meet the criteria, which is checked every three months.
Finding affordable housing is another problem. “Right now, in both counties, there’s a shortage of affordable housing. We have a case manager to help people find housing, but the housing isn’t there that people can afford,” said Ohle. “For some families, it’s a choice: do you pay your rent? Do you pay your utilities? Do you put food on the table?”
“We’re very excited about this,” said Columbia County Commissioner of Social Services Paul Mossman. “We’re ecstatic that we’re able to obtain the funding for what I would consider is a wonderful opportunity to address the homeless needs here in Columbia County.”
“We look forward in partnering with Columbia Opportunities in developing what I think would be changing the way we deal with homelessness. This grant will allow us some flex, and hopefully be more specific to our community in regard to working with the families and individuals who not only are chronically homeless, but those who are facing potential homelessness.
“It’s not going to be the only solution. If we are able to have a starting point ... it goes hand in hand with this whole continuum of services for the homeless population. If we can prevent homelessness for some, I think that will give us an opportunity to reallocate our resources and to build on something where we can minimize the need for an emergency shelter.”
To reach reporter Francesca Olsen call 518-828-1616, ext. 2272, or e-mail folsen@registerstar.com. To comment directly on this story, visit www.registerstar.com.
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