Agenda - 10-14-1993 - C 1 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

01;) Data on homeless persons in Orange County come directly from the homeless shelter. A recent report from the Inter-Faith Council Homeless Shelter indicates a dramatic increase in the housing needs of homeless persons in Orange County. From January 1 through May 26, 1993, the shelter served 369 people, and operated at capacity almost every night. Approximately 60% of those that stay in the shelter claim housing issues as the premier life occurrence that lead them to homelessness. A substantial number of people in the shelter are persons who came to the Triangle area seeking employment without adequate funds to get re-established. The Inter-Faith Council estimates that nearly $1, 000 is needed to pay all the up-front costs needed to move into a standard rental unit in southern Orange County. A look at the homeless shelter guests has indicated the dramatic increase in the number of women, children, and families housed there. Between 1991 and 1992, the number of women guests increased by 10% and the number of children in the shelter increased by 35%. During this one year span, roughly 35% of the women had stayed in a shelter before, indicating the difficulty women have maintaining their independence once they leave the shelter. With only one homeless facility in the County, meeting the different needs of single men, single women, pregnant women, mothers with infants and small children, and families becomes a difficult task for the shelter staff. No data are available for unsheltered homeless persons who choose not to stay at the IFC Homeless Shelter; however, local officials have observed an increase in rural homelessness even though figures are not currently available. Many of these homeless persons are migrant laborers or new arrivals who have not been able to find work or save enough money to move into permanent housing. ii. Subpopulations Special needs populations, such as persons recovering from substance abuse, persons with AIDS, or persons discharged from hospital care also provide service challenges to the shelter' s current operation. No public or private single-room occupancy facilities exist in Orange County to provide transition for shelter residents who have jobs but still cannot afford to enter the housing market. Boarding houses, rooming houses, or other historic transitional facilities have suffered from economic displacement, as the large residences needed for such operations have been purchased by investors and converted to student housing or purchased by families for private residences. Further, only one halfway house exists for women recovering from substance abuse, and no comparable facilities exist for men, leaving the homeless shelter to serve this population. The battered women' s shelter for Orange and Durham counties is located in Durham, so women who want to maintain their children' s attendance in Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools have no other option but the homeless shelter. Without facilities for special populations 16