Point-in-Time count highlights concerns in community, precariously-housed issue
Logan County Emergency Management Agency Director Helen Norris addresses attendees at Thursday morning’s Logan County Housing Coalition Continuum of Care meeting at Auburn Avenue Baptist Church, 216 E. Auburn Ave., where Point-in-Time data was shared regarding area homelessness. (EXAMINER PHOTO | MANDY LOEHR)
The Logan County Housing Coalition Continuum of Care this week released data relating to a Point-in-Time study conducted last month that helps to shine a light on homelessness in the community. It also assists local agencies involved with the coalition in finding ways to reach out to individuals who find themselves facing housing instability.
The evening of Jan. 22, coalition members, including chair Gwyn Stetler and Lighthouse Emergency Shelters representative Danielle Smith, rode with Bellefontaine Police Department officers in the city to locate individuals experiencing homelessness.
The coalition also collaborated with a number of area agencies and local school districts to identify additional people experiencing homelessness, along with others who were “precariously housed” (on the edge of becoming homeless who may be doubled up with friends and relatives or paying extremely high portions of their resources for rent) on this particular date.
While the Point-in-Time study is a requirement of U.S. Department Housing and Urban Development for Logan County and is conducted in many locations across the country, Stetler said at the coalition’s meeting Thursday where the data was shared that it’s also an important reminder to be conscious of the issues facing many individuals in the community.
“One of the struggles of those who are homeless is the feeling of invisibility and losing their identity. This study helps to break through that invisibility and puts a highlighter on these individuals, helping us look at how we can help them.
“I ask all of us pay closer attention to housing instability — including those doubling up, couch surfing and in unsafe conditions. If you are aware of anyone who is homeless or in an unstable setting, call our 24/7 helpline 211 available through the United Way,” she said, noting the coalition is passing out “Street Cards” with 211 information for individuals in these situations.
Members of the Logan County Housing Coalition Continuum of Care are passing out these “Street Cards” to individuals they meet who are experiencing issues relating to housing instability, with advice to call 211, the local 24/7 helpline, to be connected to services in Logan County. (EXAMINER PHOTO | MANDY LOEHR)
Sharing the 2019 data from the count night, coalition representatives said it was compiled with the best information available on that date.
“Here’s what we know, and here’s a snapshot in time,” Stetler said. “There’s never going to be an exact count because homelessness is so difficult to count, especially when we’re looking at those who are in the ‘precariously housed’ category.”
The study found that Jan. 22, a total of 44 individuals making up 24 households in Logan County, including 26 adults and 18 children, experienced the HUD definition of homelessness — those either living in emergency or temporary shelters or are sleeping in places not meant for human habitation.
Included in this particular section were those living at the Soteria House for victims of domestic violence and assault, which served seven people that night, and Lighthouse Emergency Shelters, which served between 12 to 13 people on the count night, representatives said at the meeting.
The Lighthouse Emergency Shelters has locations at 107 S. Madriver St. for single women and families; and 225 N. Detroit St. for single men. The location of the Soteria House is undisclosed to protect the safety of its clients, but law enforcement officials can direct victims to this shelter.
Also for the 2019 study, those in the precariously housed category numbered 67 individuals making up 40 households, with 44 adults and 23 children.
Logan County totals combining the HUD and precariously housed categories is 113 individuals in 64 households experiencing homelessness in the community, including 70 adults and 41 children on this January date.
Compared to the 2018 data, this year’s HUD category shows an increase, with 23 individuals counted last year. However, the precariously housed category last year was slightly higher, with 79 individuals reported in 2018.
The overall homelessness count last year was slightly less with 102 individuals.
However, the coalition chair related that this year’s data included more detailed information from the school districts.
“We received even more data from the schools this year that broke down the number of adults and children in each household, so that really helped us in our counts,” she said.
In addition, the survey also looked at other 2019 data related to the homeless individuals surveyed, including severe mental illness reported by 18 of the respondents, 16 individuals reporting chronic drug use and 10 people reporting chronic alcohol use.
Two additional individuals reported having physical health problems and five people reported having a physical disability, while 15 individuals reported they had been victims of physical, emotional or sexual abuse.
Along with the school districts, other partnering agencies that assisted in detailing these counts included Consolidated Care Inc., Residential Administrators Inc., Logan County Job & Family Services, Soteria House and Catholic Charities.
Smith and Stetler said their time riding with Bellefontaine Police Department officers overnight Jan. 22 during chilly conditions opened her eyes to the difficulties faced by these individuals.
“The officers had specific ideas of places that we could look to find people trying to stay warm, in alleyways and under bridges,” Smith said.
“We were looking for a couple who had stayed in a tent in a backyard on that very cold night, and had trouble locating them, so we became worried about them,” Stetler said. “We also saw a evidence of people who had been living in a tree structure.”
Moving forward, the coalition is in the process of creating four working groups within the organization to address the following issues: Rent, Utilities, Landlord Relationships; Coordinated Entry; and Advocacy and Housing Innovation.
The Continuum of Care meets monthly, and the community is invited and encouraged to attend meetings to provide input and share concerns to meet the needs of those facing housing instability.
The next coalition meetings are at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, March 14, at Logan County Veteran’s Services office, 121 S. Opera St.; and 8:30 a.m. Thursday, April 11, at the First United Methodist Church, 201 N. Main St., Bellefontaine, with a presentation planned by the Rev. John Edgar from the United Methodist Church and Community Development for All People, www.4allpeople.org .