The plan to end homelessness: affordable housing

The homelessness epidemic that first surged in our country following the deinstitutionalization movement has expanded in recent decades with the rising cost of living amid the growing shortage of affordable housing.

A Millbrook resident wrote me following last month’s column on homelessness to tell how a friend remarked during the 1970s that unless eradicated within a generation, homelessness would become a tolerated staple in our society.

Such has been the case as homelessness has not gone away; those who are homeless still suffer losses in their dignity and sense of self-worth, and society pays a hefty cost.

An example of the costs to society is the fact that homeless persons tend to be hospitalized more frequently and, on average, four days longer than non-homeless persons. This, by law, gets absorbed by the taxpayers at an additional cost of $2,414 per hospitalization.

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The 2009 Stimulus Act has renewed interest in ending homelessness with an infusion of $13.61 billion to HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development), which includes $1.5 billion to prevent and re-house the homeless, for which $655,000 is Dutchess County’s share via a grant. A Dyson Foundation-funded committee has been developing “The 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness in Dutchess County†to determine how to spend the county share.

The timing is appropriate. The county’s supply of emergency shelter beds for the homeless has exceeded the demand frequently, resulting in expensive motel stays (at county expense). Our supply of subsidized housing complexes is full and there is a lengthy waiting list ranging from three to six months to three to five years.

Equally alarming is the fact that the 2009 Rental Housing Survey developed by the County Department of Planning found rents in the county up an average of 7 percent from 2008. The balance of the housing market is tipping toward fewer available rental units, threatening to increase the demand for housing services from persons squeezed out of the rental market.

The county’s stimulus funding has earmarked some money as financial assistance to help prevent at-risk families and individuals from going homeless while also quickly re-housing those currently facing housing instability.

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Other strategies for preventing homelessness include one-time or short-term rent or mortgage assistance, legal assistance programs, representative payee services and direct payment programs, housing placement services and eliminating inappropriate discharges from institutional settings.

Recommendations for improving housing opportunities for low- to moderate-income households include advocating for inclusionary and incentive zoning to develop opportunities for affordable home ownership, establishment of a local affordable housing trust fund and a community land bank to streamline property reuse activities.

The concept of prevention is to identify those at greatest risk of homelessness prior to entering the system and provide them with the services to maintain housing stability. Services include financial literacy, job training and educational programming as well as developing programs targeted at tenant/landlord relationships. Improvements in quality of life for the homeless should be immediate, whereas fiscal savings to society will be realized over time.

Future column segments will examine strategies for improving housing opportunities, community engagement and strengthening of services.

Michael Kelsey represents the towns of Amenia, Washington, Stanford, Pleasant Valley and the village of Millbrook in the Dutchess County Legislature. Write him at KelseyESQ@yahoo.com.