Sara Coplai, Vice Chair.
Josh Johnson, a guest speaker from the National Alliance to End Homelessness, spoke. His comments include:
- The disconnect between wages and rent
- Lack of affordable housing causes homelessness
- Homelessness is not an individual issue; it is societal
- Homelessness is a system failure; the individual is not at fault
*Reporter (my) opinion: I disagree with all the above. Most of the homeless I have met say it is a choice. The 2022 PIT count reported that homelessness grew by 21%, but 28% of shelter beds remain vacant.
I spoke to a woman who works at Ingles who answered my question, “What’s one thing that should improve in AVL?” She answered, “the homeless situation.”
Then she paused and said, “You know, they get a lot of attention – shelters, meds, food… – I work every day and pay my rent, make a car payment and pay for child care. No one is giving me help.” Agencies that preach that “society” is at fault instead of holding each individual accountable for their actions are, to me, a waste of tax money and spread un-American messaging against work and self-reliance.
Guest speaker’s other items:
- 72% of homeless are males, 25 yrs+, non-vet, non-chronic)
- 88% = increase in homeless gays
- 35% = increase in homeless women
- 2009 the Federal “Housing First” model was introduced: “centralized” provides “equity”
- HUD 2022 budget $3.2B in 2022 homeless
Reporter (my) opinion – Homelessness is becoming a trend, a fad. What you subsidize grows; what you tax and regulate goes (away).
Emily Ball – city worker, reported:
- Surveys about homelessness went out to A) @100 homeless, B) case workers, C) residents of AVL, and one other group (businesses ?).
- The city is hiring 3 more positions in the homeless strategy department.
- Two open seats remain on this committee (medical or homeless support backgrounds preferred).
- Aug 9th – meeting about 2022’s Code Purple
- $130K funding from ESG (Emergency Services Grant): 60% to shelters 40% to Rapid Re-housing. Recipients: $54K to Homeward Bound (where Ms. Ball worked for 8 years); $46K to Helpmate.
- HUD funding works off of a Point Scoring system = if you want funding, you have to follow HUD requirements which include: “advance equity” and “Housing First” (as opposed to housing earned).
- 2019 PIT count recalled: 230 homeless, of which 78 were unsheltered. *2022 PIT reports homeless grew 21% since 2021.
Upcoming Meetings:
- Tuesday, September 13, 2022, 9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. – Special meeting to vote on CoC (which homeless services projects will be recommended for HUD funding by HIAC).
Thanks for stepping up and looking in on this committee for your community, Doug!