“The money will support the agency in renting about six housing units to be subleased to eight chronically homeless individuals,” said Executive Servant-Leader Meghann Cotter. “Those in the program pay 30 percent of their income toward rent, and are wrapped with intensive case management aimed at making them successful.”
The six units have yet to be identified. “We will be tapping into our network of community landlords, who have affordable units throughout the planning district,” Cotter said.
Micah already provides this kind of assistance to 20 individuals, funded through ongoing HUD grants from previous years.
“The new funding expands the community resources available to the most vulnerable people who have lived on the street or in a shelter for the longest time,” Cotter said. “The new money will specifically focus on those whose homelessness has been most expensive to the community because of excessive use of public systems such as jails, hospitals and emergency services.”
“What we believe will be demonstrated is that those who have cost our community the most resources while homeless, actually cost less when put in housing with case management,” Cotter said. “Other communities that have used this approach have shown that people who cost $63,000 a year, based on jail, hospital and police interaction, cost only $16,000 after they are housed. This will be a really important step in showing our community what is possible. Not only is housing first a better way to help people, it ultimately is a cheaper approach for the community.”
Micah Ecumenical Ministries is a Christ-centered community based in Fredericksburg, Va., supporting people experiencing chronic homelessness and identifying pathways to sustainable housing.
