Washtenaw County to chip in $175,000 toward emergency response to homelessness crisis

The city of Ann Arbor recently allocated funds to expand the supply of beds at the Delonis Center this winter. Now Washtenaw County is funding supportive housing vouchers for families as part of the same emergency response to the community's homeless crisis.

File photo

Mary Jo Callan, director of the city-county office of community development, said more than 1,200 county residents were evicted from their residences last year, and the poverty rate is climbing along with unemployment.

Callan said the need to address homelessness in Washtenaw County becomes more urgent every day.

The Interfaith Hospitality Network, SOS Community Services, and Ozone House are working with Avalon Housing and other landlords to arrange for 18 year-long housing vouchers - or subsidies - with support services before winter arrives.

The city of Ann Arbor recently allocated $159,500 as part of the collaborative emergency response effort. It will fund eight of the 18 vouchers, as well as expand the supply of beds at homeless shelters this winter. The Downtown Development Authority also provided $20,000.

The measures taken by the county board's Ways and Means Committee are expected to receive final approval from the full board on Dec. 2. The money will be taken from a $250,000 allocation that already was budgeted this year for supportive housing services, county officials said.

The county board approved a two-year investment in supportive housing in 2008 as part of an effort spearheaded by the Washtenaw Housing Alliance. The $250,000 in the budget this year represents the second year of funding for that commitment.

Callan told commissioners on Wednesday a growing body of research indicates the cost-savings of providing homelessness prevention and supportive housing services in conjunction with permanent supportive housing.

"I think supportive housing is an investment in preventing other costlier services," she said. "So when you look at the cost of hospitalizations, incarceration, school failure, chronic unemployment, foreclosures and those sorts of things, providing stability for a family who's homeless - and more importantly for their young children - it's expensive but it is much less costly."

Callan said the county's investment in supportive housing last year leveraged more than $500,000. The initiative has provided supportive housing to individuals and families in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Ypsilanti Township, Manchester, Saline, and Scio Township. Overall, it has served 117 households with 129 adults and 104 children.

Commissioner Ken Schwartz, D-2nd District, expressed concerns that $175,000 was a lot of money to spend on 10 families for one year. At $17,500 per family, he said that's an unsustainable means of responding to the thousands of people losing their jobs, being evicted and struggling with unemployment.

"My concern is it's a lot of money for a few people when a lot of money could be used for a lot of people," he said. "To me, $175,000 could be utilized alternatively to supply a lot of winter housing for a lot of people on the street."

Callan said the county's allocation makes more sense when looked at as one component of the overall humanitarian response that includes efforts funded by the city of Ann Arbor.

The city's funds will allow the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County to provide an additional 50 spaces for homeless individual adults needing emergency overnight shelter this winter. Half of those spaces will be provided by adding cots to the second floor of the Delonis Center, and an additional 25 spaces will be provided using space within local faith congregations.

Commissioners agreed the county must find a broader solution to the homeless crisis.

"I think that we really are looking at a problem here," said Commissioner Wesley Prater, D-4th District. "It does seem to me that we should look at the broad picture and try to do a little planning. ... Before this winter's over, we're going to see something that we've never seen in our lifetime."

Ryan J. Stanton covers government for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529.