Legal Services Plays Big Part in Preventing Homelessness

This is the ninth in a series of articles on agencies that participate in the Midland County Continuum of Care.

A disabled man who otherwise might be trying to survive on the street or seeking refuge in a shelter now lives in decent subsidized housing.

The home he had was a trailer on relatives’ property, but now he has his own place, thanks to assistance with rent; he also has medical benefits and is no longer dependent on his family.

This better outcome happened because of the work of Legal Services of Eastern Michigan (LSEM), which describes itself on its website as “a non-profit law firm that provides free civil legal assistance to low-income people…[with] special emphasis … on those issues that affect survival needs of low-income people.”

LSEM further states that its “current priority is to keep people in decent, safe, and sanitary housing.”

Legal Services Lead Attorney Amy Meilink takes information from inquirer at recent Project Housing Connect event.

Amy Meilink, lead attorney serving Midland County clients of Legal Services, underscored this priority, noting that “Seventy-five to eighty percent of our work touches on survival issues.”

“We try to keep people from becoming homeless,” she said, “and so we take on tenant-landlord issues, evictions, mortgages, foreclosures, and bankruptcy.”

Project Housing Connect a Success

Project Housing Connect achieved its goal: Midland area residents who struggle to stay sheltered, fed, and clothed made face-to-face connections with a wide range of local sources of help.

Sponsored by Midland County Continuum of Care, the one-day event attracted well over 200 people to Fellowship Hall of the First United Methodist Church of Midland in mid-November.

Midland County Circuit Judge Jon Lauderbach serves soup at Project Housing Connect

Amanda Johnson, Housing Resource Specialist at Midland Area Homes and coordinator for Project Housing Connect, was very pleased with the turnout. She said, “The day went very well. We had approximately the same amount of people attending as we had last year and were able to connect over 170 households to a variety of different services at Project Housing Connect.”

Johnson drew special attention to some new aspects of the event, saying, “New this year were more direct services, including cholesterol screenings, bone density screenings and haircuts. These new direct services were a hit with those that attended.” 

Hidden Harvest worker hands out potatoes and other non-perishables

Shelterhouse Executive Director Sharon Mortensen, who chairs the Continuum of Care, shared Johnson’s evaluation, declaring Project Housing Connect a success. She said, “Under one roof individuals were able to talk with representatives from 26 agencies, and eat lunch, get coats or hats as needed, receive free haircuts, and take away a bag of food for their families.”

Young parents came, carrying infants, pushing strollers, or hanging on to toddlers. Older folks were there, too, some in wheel chairs. After registering they all filed into the spacious hall in quest of information and assistance and especially the free items awaiting them in the giveaway room.

Affordable Housing Alliance Provides Low-Income Rental Units

This is the eighth in a series of articles on agencies that participate in the Midland County Continuum of Care.

One way to combat homelessness is to build and maintain decent housing for people who otherwise are priced out of the market.

That’s the role The Affordable Housing Alliance of Midland County has chosen to play in the fight to keep people decently sheltered.

Formed as a non-profit in 1997 with seed money from local foundations, the Alliance has built and operates four housing developments with a total of 95 two and three bedroom townhouses.

Each two-story townhouse comes with washer and dryer, stove and refrigerator, garbage disposal, dishwasher, window coverings, central air, basement, and play area for children.

Rent is based on Midland Median income ($66,800 for family of four in 2009). A two-bedroom home at 50% of median income rents for $510 per month plus utilities. At 30% of median income the rent is $299. Most tenants fall in the 30 percent category with the remainder in the 40-50 percent group, according to W. Roger Mikusek, executive director of the Alliance.

Project Homeless Connect Set for November 16

Midland area human service agencies concerned with homelessness face an on-going challenge: how to connect people struggling with basic needs to the help they need to stay sheltered.

One response to the challenge is Project Homeless Connect, a one-day, one-stop event on Wednesday, November 16, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Midland.

Sponsored by Midland County Continuum of Care and the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness, Project Homeless Connect will offer free lunch served by The Open Door, free winter outwear, free personal care items, and free take home food boxes of non-perishables from Hidden Harvest.

For Help with Basic Human Needs Dial 2-1-1

This is the seventh in a series of articles on agencies that participate in the Midland County Continuum of Care.

Have you run out of food? Do your kids need school clothes? Are you facing a shut-off of your electricity or fuel? Are you about to be evicted and don’t know where to turn?

Don’t call 911 or 411. Just dial 211, a free, confidential service.

When you call – day or night – a Certified Information and Referral Specialist (CIRS) will answer and direct you to one or more public or non-profit agencies which may be able to help with your specific need.

Department of Human Services Plays Key Role in Helping Homeless

This is the sixth in a series of articles on agencies that participate in the Midland County Continuum of Care.

No matter where Midland County residents faced with homelessness turn to for help, they will soon find themselves at the local office of the Department of Human Services at 1509 Washington St. in Midland.

In most cases the Department can give no direct help, bound as it is by strict regulations. DHS does, however, serve as the primary screener for other local non-profit agencies which do assist with housing.

Salvation Army Helps People Stay in Their Homes

Majors Matt and Malinda O'Neil

This is the fifth in a series of articles on agencies that participate in the Midland County Continuum of Care.

In Midland County’s mosaic of housing assistance, the Salvation Army has a clearly defined task — helping people stay in their homes.

“We try to prevent people from losing their housing,” Capt. MaLinda O’Neil said in an interview at the Salvation Army’s Midland Corp Community Center, 330 Waldo Ave.

Residents facing a financial setback such as a layoff or unforeseen emergency can get a boost if it looks like they can maintain themselves in their home afterward, O’Neil said.

In the current economy, however, many people are living in housing they simply can’t afford, O’Neil said, and those cases are referred elsewhere to consider more affordable options.

Homeless count day Jan. 26 in Midland County

It’s time again to count the homeless in Midland County.

Midland County Continuum of Care will coordinate another “point-in-time” survey of homelessness on Jan. 26. In the two most recent surveys, in January 2009 and 2010, about 327 homeless people were counted, an increase of almost 50 percent from a 2007 count.

Institutions likely to be providing services or having contact with the homeless, including churches, agencies, schools, law enforcement and state parks employees, will be asked to count homeless people with whom they have had contact during the week of the census. The process controls for duplications so individuals will only be counted once, even if they had contact with multiple agencies.

Sharon Mortensen, chair of Continuum of Care, said community awareness about the count is important to help develop the most accurate survey of the problem. Mortensen said the continuum believes surveys done so far have resulted in undercounting.

Open Door offers help to the area’s homeless

Open Door’s men’s crisis shelter and soup kitchen is at 412 W. Buttles St. in Downtown Midland (Photo by Open Door)

This is the fourth in a series of articles on agencies that participate in the Midland County Continuum of Care.

With homelessness on the rise in Midland County, a volunteer organization offers a place to sleep and a meal when there’s no place else to go.

The Open Door Ministries which shelters homeless men in Downtown Midland and homeless women and children at an undisclosed location, provided more than 11,000 nights of crisis housing in 2009.

Hot, wholesome meals are available at the soup kitchen six days a week, Monday through Saturday from noon to 1:30 pm. The Open Door served more than 45,000 meals in 2009.

The idea is simple, says Kitchen Coordinator Sue LaBean. “Somebody has to take care of those people who need help. People need a shelter and food.”

With Midland County homeless counts up 50 percent from three years ago, more and more people are showing up at the non-denominational Christian ministry, putting strains on resources.

House of Mercy, the women’s shelter, turns away women almost daily, referring them to shelters in Bay City and Saginaw. Open Door men’s crisis shelter at 412 W. Buttles St. is often full, with cots pulled out to handle the overflow. A nearby men’s “restoration house” for longer-term transitional housing is at capacity.

Asked what Open Door needs to continue its work, LaBean, left, didn’t have to search for answers. “We need a bigger women’s house and a bigger restoration house,” she said. “And we need money to finance operations.”

Finances have improved lately, LaBean said, but a year ago the ministry was only a month away from scraping bottom on expenses. “Last August we had to go public, and the community really responded,” LaBean said.

229 attend successful Homeless Connect

The Nov. 17 Homeless Connect event in Midland was a success, extending help to almost 50 percent more households than in the previous year.

A total of 229 people from 178 households attended the event, up from 161 people and 120 households in 2009. In all, help was given to 412 household members.

Sponsored by Continuum of Care and coordinated by Midland Area Homes, the event was designed as a one-day, one-stop gateway to help Midland County’s homeless residents and those at risk of losing their homes.

Twenty-eight agencies had representatives present to assist attendees. First United Methodist Churchmade its building available, Hidden Harvest provided food for attendees to take home, and Open Door provided lunch.