Notes from my Knapsack 2-18-21
Jeff Gill
Homeless response is complicated
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While I appreciate well-intended energy and deep concern to help our community reach every last person who has to deal with homelessness, I believe it's important to keep in mind that every night in Licking County, something over 200 people who would otherwise be homeless are sheltered, either in emergency or transitional housing. It isn't accurate to say nothing is being done, or that the groups doing this work aren't regularly talking and working together. This needed work and supportive services are offered through the Licking County Coalition for Housing, by The Center for New Beginnings, by the Salvation Army, along with at least three faith-based groups which do not receive federal or state funding, so they have different guidelines around how they provide their overnight shelter assistance. The more formally organized housing programs do partner with them to help offer transitional services and housing from emergency shelter to independence and stability. That's not even counting a variety of recovery houses and addiction programs, both evidence-based with federal and state funding, and more informal programs, that might as well be called shelter programs in practical fact. There is also some supportive housing that's done in and around the edges of our mental health providers which has rules and guidelines that can be frustrating to navigate, but again, with federal and state money comes federal and state strings that can't be casually cut. But it all adds up to well over 200 people a night in our county who are housed by programs and projects, receiving funds both federal and state as well as locally raised, which all have very tight controls and scrutiny on how and in what ways and over whom we are serving.
And starting two years ago, a group of people, more recently organized into a Warming Shelter Task Force, put together an additional effort to provide emergency shelter to people needing assistance on very cold nights. This is also a group drawn from most of those already working with homelessness, which also asks questions and invites input directly from people experiencing homelessness on how we can respond to their needs. The reasons any one person might be unsheltered on a night below 10 degrees are many and various, and lack of current shelter capacity is only one of the factors leading to there being a few dozen on any given night in vehicles, in unheated buildings or structures, or "out there" with their belongings, such as they have been able to hold onto. Which is part of why people might choose to stay in a tent or hand-made shelter even when it's terribly cold, for fear of losing what little they have. Many of us believe a winter-long "low barriers" shelter might encourage some of those who are unsheltered to come in, and gain more trust and confidence in the supportive programs and opportunities available. But for now, we can only provide this on nights that are expected to be 10 degrees or lower overnight. So in the recent cold snap, when we had only a few "come in" to make use of the overnight warming shelter, we know that's not everyone out there. We also know some situations aren't even going to be met by a low barriers shelter, but need us to go out to where they are, and start rebuilding trust and responding with care to anxieties and issues that are keeping some out in the cold. In fact, LCCH and Newark Homeless Outreach and other faith-based groups are doing that outreach work already, and we share information and opportunities, also using the daytime warming setting of Vertical 196 to make contacts and start building those relationships that can lead people to try supportive and assistive programs that are available to them.
Homelessness is a complex issue. But I regret any time public statements are made that imply no one is doing anything, or that those who are aren't in touch with each other. In fact, the work is going on every day. It is not yet enough, I'd be the first to agree, but we do well to build on the foundations of what is, as we look to building up what may yet be done, to care for those with the most pressing of needs, the need for shelter and housing security.
Jeff Gill is a writer, storyteller, and preacher in central Ohio; he's been working on ending chronic homelessness in our community since 1991. Tell him about what you're thankful for at home by way of knapsack77@gmail.com, or follow @Knapsack on Twitter.
