Mission Possible: Oakland Countys Community Plan to End Homelessness
On any given night, Oakland County has over 1,300 homeless people. With an inventory of only 724 emergency shelter and transitional beds there is a shortage of 569 beds each night, and the permanent supportive housing programs have waiting lists.
To determine the exact number of homeless, the Oakland County Task Force on Homelessness and Affordable Housing (OCTH), a multi-agency board of stakeholders from this region, is conducting a “Point in Time Census” on the evening of Jan. 24, 2007 to count the number of homeless people in Oakland County. A majority of communities in Michigan will also be conducting a count at the same time. The census is an attempt to determine the number of people staying in emergency shelters, transitional housing and a “nook and cranny” search for those people staying in places not meant for permanent habitation such as campgrounds, cars, abandoned buildings, motels, parks, all-night convenience stores, Laundromats or on the streets.
The most recent complete homeless count was performed manually in 2005. According to the Homeless Management Information System in January 2006, a sampling of only emergency shelters revealed an 11 percent increase over 2005 data for the same shelters.
Oakland County’s homeless population is scattered across the county’s 61 cities, villages and townships, and is not concentrated in any one area. The cost of homelessness is high, especially for the chronically homeless or those with special needs. Homeless people use a variety of public systems in inefficient and costly ways. Cost shifts to corrections, heath care, welfare and education mask the true societal price of homelessness. The Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services concluded that the cost of preventing a homeless episode is one-sixth the cost of responding once a family becomes homeless. Providing permanent supportive housing costs taxpayers substantially less than emergency shelters, jails and medical facilities.
In the fall of 2004, the Task Force began development of a plan to end homelessness in Oakland County. Dubbed "Mission: Possible - Oakland County's Community Blueprint to End Homelessness," the project includes both chronic homelessness – defined as a disabled individual who is homeless more than one year or who has had four or more episodes of homelessness in the past three years – as well as episodic family homelessness. Supported by elected officials, a group of stakeholders from government, business and civic leaders, law enforcement, the medical community, education, housing developers, service providers, faith-based organizations, individuals who are or have experienced homelessness and the general public expressed commitment and participated in the planning process.
Using community summits, focus groups and research, the Task Force formulated goals and strategies to eliminate chronic homelessness and reduce the incidence and length of episodic homelessness in the next 10 years. These goals include strategies in prevention, intervention, retention, permanent affordable housing, discharge planning, employment resources, supportive services, medical care availability, outreach, public awareness and data collection.
To view the plan in its entirety or for more information about the plan, please visit www.oakgov.com/chi/news or contact Kathy Williams at 248-858-1189.
To assist in the Task Force count, please contact Michele Wehrheim at the Community Housing Network at 248-928-0111.
On any given night, Oakland County has over 1,300 homeless people. With an inventory of only 724 emergency shelter and transitional beds there is a shortage of 569 beds each night, and the permanent supportive housing programs have waiting lists.
