Agenda - 05-14-1996 - V-A - Laserfiche WebLink

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17 t Community House and is the only emergency housing resource for families in Orange County. It is designed to provide only short-term emergency shelter for families and singles. A recent report from Community House indicates a dramatic increase in the housing needs of homeless persons in Orange County. From January 1 through December 1, 1994, the shelter served 879 individuals and operated at capacity almost every night. Of this number: 645 were male and 234 female. Further, 546 (61%) were African-American; 272 (31%) were White; 62 (7%) were Hispanic and approximately one percent were Native American and Other. The Community House served approximately 980 individuals during 1995. Approximately 60% of those that stay in the shelter claim housing issues as the premier life occurrence that lead them to the Triangle area seeking employment without adequate funds to get re-established. For battered women, emergency shelter is available only in the neighboring county, Durham County, at the Orange/Durham Coalition for Battered Women shelter. Many battered women from Orange County are unable or unwilling to use the Battered Women's Shelter in Durham. The primary reason for this is that a move to Durham can involve changing jobs or switching children's' schools. There are also transportation challenges in accessing the shelter. The Community House as well as the Coalition for Battered Women have well established networks for identifying homeless families and domestic violence victims in Orange County. Organizations that may currently refer families to Community House and/or the Coalition include OPC Mental Health, IFC, Family Services Division, the Rape Crisis Center, Orange Congregations in Mission, the Department of Social Services, the Chapel Hill/Carrboro School District, Day Care Services Association, the Orange County Sheriffs Department, the local Helpline, area hospitals, local congregations, local police departments, and other emergency shelters in the Triangle area. However, the existing emergency shelters are only designed for short-term stays. Therefore, it was recognized that long term transitional housing was needed in this community. Transitional Housing and Supportive Housing Needs In August 1994, the Inter-Faith Council and the Orange/Durham Coalition for Battered Women submitted a 1994 Supportive Housing Program Grant for the construction of transitional housing for their present client population. This decision resulted from the work of the Homeless Women and Children Task Force, the Emergency Family Support and Shelter Task Force. Approximately $1.3 million dollars was received in late 1994. This initiative, known as Project HomeStart, is the result of a community-wide planning process that has involved a number of area non-profit and governmental agencies.