Homelessness is more than a national concern, it’s a serious local problem facing many families here in Massachusetts. In 2009 Massachusetts was home to 10,994 of the nation’s severely housing burdened households, a 2% increase from 2008. Check out these concerning statistics on Massachusetts homelessness:
• 2009: Low- to moderate-income working families work longer hours, endure long commutes or cut back on basic necessities in order to pay for housing. • 2009 March: The hourly wage needed to afford a two bedroom apartment in Massachusetts is $22.94, more than all but three other states. • 2009 April: According to the state's Department of Transitional Assistance (the Department currently providing much of the services available to homeless families) about 8% of families surveyed blamed their current homelessness on foreclosure. In 2008 that figure was only 3%. • 2009 April: More than one in four (25.8 percent) of respondents to a UMASS poll are concerned they will fall behind on their mortgage payments in the next three months. • 2009 March: There are 17,505 homeless children in Massachusetts, only 20 other sates have more according to the National Center on Family Homelessness. • 2009 March: 18% of homeless children in Massachusetts reported moderate to severe health conditions, as opposed to only 8.5% of middle-income children in Massachusetts. Here at the United Way of Tri-County we are working everyday to eliminate homelessness in MetroWest and Massachusetts. The United Way has taken a critical role in the Interagency Council on Housing and Homelessness (ICHH). The ICHH is leading a 5-year strategic plan to end homelessness in the Commonwealth by 2013. Created to review existing programs aimed at preventing and addressing homelessness, the ICHH is working to ensure that these programs are provided in the most efficient and productive manner. The United Way serves as the ICHH facilitator in Metrowest, fighting to end homelessness by bringing service providers and stakeholders together. In addition to our participation in the ICHH the United Way also partners with the South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC) to provide the “Ending Homelessness Initiative.” Through SMOC’s Common Ground Resource Center, we provide triage and assessment services for homeless single adults in the region. We prepare individualized interventions designed to avoid shelter placement or reduce the length of stay for those who enter shelter. We also provide the many additional supports the homeless need to attain and maintain housing. These supports include legal assistance, substance abuse recovery, mental health, physical health, education, skills training, and long term housing assistance for those who are disabled. Our initiative provides targeted prevention services to assure that people who experience a brief housing crisis can receive the level of intervention they need to maintain housing.
