November 13, 2001 Barbara
Poppe,
Community Shelter Board
(614)
221-9195
One trip around I-270 hints at what the 2000 census
confirms: Columbus experienced 11%
growth in population in just ten years.
Most
of the new housing built to accommodate that growth is out of reach for
low-income residents, however, which contributes to homelessness in
Columbus.
Based on the idea that it’s better to create
housing than increase shelter space, the Community Shelter Board (CSB) is in the midst of re-structuring
the shelter system and developing affordable housing with
supportive services for people who are homeless. The concept is part of the Rebuilding Lives plan, coordinated by CSB,
which is also
responsible for reviewing programs and agencies that apply for funding to serve
people who are homeless in Columbus and Franklin County. When it comes to
locating programs that serve people who are homeless, you’ve probably heard the
term “NIMBY” or “Not In My Back Yard” used to describe opponents. This term is often unfairly assigned to
describe the views of reasonable people who are concerned about safety and
property values in their neighborhoods.
Most responsible property owners are concerned about such issues when any
change to their neighborhood is imminent, regardless of what that change may
be.
“The Community Shelter Board is very careful about funding agencies and programs,” said Barbara Poppe, Executive Director of CSB. “We care deeply about creating high-quality services for homeless people, and about respect for neighborhoods. Consequently, we set our standards quite high for agencies that receive funding. A shelter certification process insures that those standards are maintained.”
Several neighborhoods A growing number of
people have found are finding out that
supportive housing programs or and shelters
can be
friendly neighbors. don’t necessarily mean problems in their
neighborhoods. In fact, some
neighbors have found just the opposite.
Positive relations seem to depend upon whether
programs Programs that offer adequate services
and welcome neighborhood involvement have been
successfully blending into several neighborhoods
in and around our community recently. ,
and how their policies toward program residents and neighbors are carried
out. What are principles/best practices? Many
of the new programs in Columbus are part of the Rebuilding Lives
plan coordinated by the Community Shelter Board, which calls for re-structuring
shelters to be smaller and less concentrated in the downtown area, and making
housing a priority. The Community
Shelter Board is also responsible for reviewing programs and agencies that
apply for funding to serve homeless persons in Columbus and Franklin
County.
Two years ago, Community Housing Network (CHN) and Friends of the Homeless became partners to provide supportive housing for men in recovery from addiction. The housing was located in Bexley, with services provided at another location. Community Housing Network invested in building renovation and maintenance. Friends of the Homeless began linking resident to community-based treatment and recovery services. Both agencies maintained consistent communication with neighbors, and the project is gaining support. Neighborhood supporters even worked together with the Bexley Tree Commission to help redesign the landscape of the building.
“We felt it was important for the residents to know that so many neighbors supported them in their decision to become valued members of our community,” said Rita Cohen, a Bexley resident who helped organize supporters.
Property values near the Bexley program do not appear to have been affected. A recent article in the Columbus Dispatch indicated that a home purchased on a nearby street increased 20% in value over two years. The residents have also been good neighbors, which is one of the outcomes desired by the program, according to Mike Tynan, Director of Homeless Housing Programs for CHN.
“A lot of what people learn and practice in recovery has to do with respect,” said Tynan. “Respect for yourself, your neighbors, and your community every day are important as people establish a healthy way of life.”
Residents in the Milo-Grogan community on the north side of Columbus found there may be hidden benefits to having a new shelter for homeless men for a neighbor. Lutheran Social Services/Faith Mission and other organizations were open to discussing neighborhood issues, and asked to negotiate a “Good Neighbor Agreement” to iron out potential concerns in the future.
The old print shop selected for the shelter underwent a complete renovation. Faith Mission shared plans to have a full team of staff members, including security staff, on duty at all times. Loitering is not permitted, and a camera system monitors the shelter and surrounding property. To help with transportation, COTA agreed to a special walkway to access the bus stop closest to the shelter.
There were economic benefits for Milo-Grogan business owners. The general contractor selected for nearly a million dollars in renovation work was a local neighborhood company, as were a number of sub-contractors. Several applicants from the neighborhood landed staff positions. The new shelter contains a free public meeting room, and extra warehouse space, which Faith Mission would like to lease back to a local organization.
Sunshine Terrace is a public housing project built for
low-income residents that experienced increasing vacancy rates over the past
few years. Safety
was a major concern for residents. The
idea to combine public housing with supportive services through the Rebuilding Lives plan came together at
Sunshine Terrace, a partnership between the Columbus Metropolitan Housing
Authority (CMHA) and the YMCA of Central Ohio.
The two agencies submitted a proposal to improve the building and
provide services under the Rebuilding
Lives plan.
The agencies worked closely with Franklinton residents and neighborhood organizations. Once CMHA was convinced that both the neighborhood and the YMCA were committed to the project, they invested additional funding into building improvements and security features. The YMCA was granted funding for supportive services and front desk staff to monitor the entrance. Occupancy at the building is now growing, and while it is still early to determine the impact of the program on the whole neighborhood, there is a different atmosphere for residents within the building.
“I’ve heard that some of the original residents are more inclined to come downstairs and visit, since there are more staff on duty and monitoring the building,” said Carol Stewart, a Franklinton resident and active member of the west-side community. That makes the Community Shelter Board believe the program is working, and engaging residents in supportive services.
“CSB and our partners believe that setting high standards for services, building quality, and appearance can actually improve neighborhoods, ” said Barbara Poppe of CSB. “We also believe in keeping the lines of communication open with neighbors. It takes a bit more effort to work together, but it makes for better relationships for everyone in the long run.”
The
Community Shelter Board, established in 1986, is a non-profit intermediary
organization that coordinates community based efforts, fosters collaboration,
and funds services to assist families and individuals in Central Ohio to
resolve their housing crisis. The
Community Shelter Board allocates $7.0 million annually to support programs at
17 agencies. Last year, these programs
served more than 11,000 individuals.
The Community Shelter Board is funded by the City of Columbus, the
Franklin County Board of Commissioners, the United Way of Central Ohio, the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the State of Ohio, and other
public and private donors.
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