Portage County makes effort to decrease homelessness

There were more than 100 homeless people in Kent and Ravenna last year.

On the surface, this seems like a lot, but many Portage County shelters, programs and organizations are helping to decrease the number every day.

In January 2018, 63 households (100 individuals) were counted as homeless in Portage County during the annual “Point in Time” count, a total count of people experiencing homelessness, occurs across the nation.

This annual “Point in Time” count provides Family and Community Services with an overview of people unsheltered and sheltered in the community’s homeless programs. This helps Family and Community Services gain state and federal funding for programs that can provide vital services and help guide the community’s planning efforts.

Jenn Matlack, Director of Housing and Emergency Support Services (HESS) and Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF), focuses on homeless prevention and rapid rehousing for the homeless.

 

“If somebody is about to become homeless, we offer case management and temporary financial assistance to help them stabilize their housing,” Matlack said.  “Then if they are homeless already, we help them stabilize their housing by getting them into housing.”

HESS, which is based in Portage County, is one of two access points for someone with a housing emergency in the county. The other access point is Miller Community House, the only emergency shelter in Portage County.

Traci Larlham is the Director of Housing Services for Family and Community Services. She oversees transitional housing programs and permanent supportive housing programs. However, her main program is Miller Community House. Miller House serves about 200 individuals per year who experience homelessness. Of those 200, about 90 are children.

Family and Community Services works with Miller Community House to provide homeless people support.  For example, when a homeless person contacts HESS, they write down their information and do some assessments. If there is no financial assistance available, HESS finds out if there is shelter space available at the Miller Community House.

Of the 63 households counted in the 2018 “Point in Time”, 15 of these households were unsheltered adults. Seventeen of these households were singles, couples, and families with children residing in emergency and domestic violence shelters. Nineteen of these households were singles and families with children in transitional housing. Thirteen of these households were single veterans residing in transitional housing.

There is a limit to the amount of time that homeless people can stay at Miller Community House.

From a systematic standpoint, homelessness has dropped in Portage County.  Over the past two years, Portage County has shown a 4 percent decrease in homelessness. This has especially been the case for veterans.

Affordable housing and transportation are two big obstacles to improving homelessness.

 

“Affordable housing is a big one,” Matlack said. “Especially families that need somewhere to go, they can hardly make it if they’re not on some sort of subsidized housing.”

Hannah Bastling, Continuum of Care Coordinator for the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio believes that the average Ohioan can help by staying informed and donating to local homeless shelters.

“I think some of the challenges are certainly for the shelters,” Bastling said. “It’s hard enough for homeless people to get to these shelters, but when they do, it isn’t a guarantee that there will be room for them.”

Matlack believes that there is an obvious need for monetary donations.

 

“Of course there’s needs there,” Matlack said. “The shelter will throw out on Facebook sometimes like ‘we have a baby in the shelter and we really need diapers.’ When you see those things that are needed, help with that.” 

The Miller Community House can currently house 22 individuals, while there are generally 30-45 people on the waiting list. Thirty-three percent of the homeless people staying at the Haven of Rest in Summit County are from Portage County.

Poverty in Portage County is at 16 percent. 

While homelessness continues to be a big problem in Portage County, there are a lot of resources and individuals looking to decrease it. While factors such as transportation and affordable housing are hard to come by for the homeless, programs and organizations like Family and Community Services and Miller Community House are aiding the homeless every day.

“There are so many different groups of people to think about,” Bastling said.  “Helping raise awareness helps so many people from veterans to the LGBTQ community to college students. Although it is improving, there are still way too many people without homes.”

The next “Point in Time” count for Portage County is scheduled for January 22, 2019.