Frequently Asked Questions
Will there ever be an END to homelessness?
An end to homelessness doesn’t mean that no one will ever experience homelessness again. Ending homelessness means that homelessness will become rare, brief and one-time.
Rare: People are not becoming homeless very often. If it happens, the instance is rare.
Brief: If someone enters homelessness, the experience is brief and the system is able to help them become housed again within 30 days or less.
One-Time: When someone exits homelessness they will remain housed, and will never experience homelessness again.
How many people are experiencing homelessness in the Greater Grand Traverse Area?
In the Greater Grand Traverse Area (Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau counties) there are approximately 250 people experiencing homelessness at any given time. Find out more by clicking here.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Veterans Affairs consider a person to be homeless if they are sleeping outside, in a place not meant for human habitation such as a car or abandoned building, or in an emergency shelter or transitional housing program. Other federal agencies have different definitions for homelessness.
Why do people become homeless?
The main reason people become homeless and experience homeless for long periods of time is because they cannot find housing they can afford. Experiencing homelessness exacerbates physical and mental health issues like substance use disorder, chronic health conditions, and mental illness. Although many people experiencing homelessness face these challenges, most people who suffer from substance use disorder, chronic health conditions or mental illness will never experience homelessness. Most people who experience homelessness have a long history of experiencing trauma. Learn more about trauma as a risk factor for homelessness.
Is there a solution to homelessness?
Yes. HOUSING. Housing is the solution to homelessness. Housing ends homelessness. An end to homelessness cannot happen without SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. Although shelters are a critical part of an effective homeless response system, they are TEMPORARY and EMERGENCY interventions. People experiencing homelessness need PERMANENT and SUSTAINABLE housing to end their experience of homelessness.
What are people doing to help?
Agencies across the NW Michigan Coalition to End Homelessness work every day to ensure there is a coordinated and effective homeless response system that is rooted in connecting people to housing. An effective homeless response system involves access to the services and supports needed to end a person’s experience of homelessness, assessment of a person’s needs and strengths related to housing, prioritization based on need, and referral to the most appropriate housing intervention available to meet their housing needs. Learn more about the homeless response system of NW Michigan here