Number of homeless on the rise

Local agencies assist with housing for those in need

By LISA M. REED,Staff Writer
IRON MOUNTAIN — Homeless is defined as anybody in a shelter.

At the end of 2007, there were 23 chronically homeless persons in Dickinson and Iron counties, according to information compiled by the Dickinson Iron Community Services Agency (DICSA).

Mark Rose, housing resource information specialist for DICSA, said the campaign to end homelessness in Michigan began in 2006. The campaign spans all interested groups. Those being shelters, housing providers, service providers, state and local agencies, foundations, business and private citizens.

“If you have a roof over your head, you’re not homeless. If you are living with family and friends, you’re not homeless. If you lost jobs and can’t pay rent, you’re not homeless,” Rose said.

Rose said Dickinson and Iron counties do not have a lot of people living on park benches. He said in the summer, homeless people will live in tents and come fall, they will go to a shelter or live with family or friends.

But with the mortgage crisis and the difficult economic times the country is facing, local agencies are seeing an increase in the number of people classified as homeless.

“It is definitely increasing,” said Shelley Byrne, contracted housing agent with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA).

The authority helps homeless people with rent assistance after they are verified that they are homeless. To qualify, a person must be in a homeless shelter, such as the Salvation Army or the Caring House.

“Previously called section 8, now Housing Choice Voucher Program or HCVP — what we do is we help with rent assistance,” Bryne said. “Rent and utilities is based on 30 percent of gross income.”

She said the difference between the authority and rent assistance programs, such as Westwood Apartments, Norwood Apartments, Strawberry Lakes Apartments, etc. is that with MSHDA, the tenant can pick where they want to live, such as a house, as long as the landlord is willing to work with MSHDA.

Steve Gagne, executive director for Iron County Housing Commission, a federal housing program that works Housing and Urban Development, said a homeless person is someone without a permanent address, living in their vehicle, at a relatives or friend’s, abused victims, incarcerated or institutionalized.

“We take their application and try to place them in a unit right away,” he said.

Caring House and Salvation Army are emergency housing in Dickinson County.

“We only serve victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and their children,” said Cheryl O’Neil, executive director of the Caring House and chair of the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “And it’s both MSHDA and the National Coalition that agree domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children.”

O’Neil said the Caring House does have apartments for male victims of domestic violence in addition to apartments for female victims. The maximum stay of 30 days is adjusted according to the victim’s needs.

There are also several substance abuse programs in the county.

Bryne said previously, homeless persons had more substance abuse issues.

“Now it is getting where they are losing jobs and then housing. Domestic violence also happens,” she said. “Yes, they will always have those issues as well. We had a number of people from substance abuse and more now because of economic times.”

Rose agreed.

“There is an increase a little bit because of economic conditions,” he said. “I always say you are two paychecks away from being homeless.”

First Presbyterian Church, Trinity United Methodist Church and First United Methodist Church provide community meals.

Food pantries include Dickinson-Iron Community Service Agency, First Lutheran Church, Maranatha Messengers, New Hope Church of God, Niagara Area Assistance Program, Norway Community Food Pantry, St. Vincent De Paul, Salvation Army and the SHARE program.

Lisa M. Reed’s email address is lreed@ironmountaindailynews.com.