In April 2017, Danielle Cornish went to sleep outside and never woke up. She was one of 225 people who live without a home on any given day in Grand Traverse County. On any given night, 90 of those people are unsheltered. They sleep outside.
These are our neighbors, families with children, the working poor, veterans. They are individuals who have experienced significant, pervasive trauma and crisis. Many have physical disabilities or compromised health. They all have complex stories, like Danielle, like all of us.
The partner agencies of the Northwest Michigan Coalition to End Homelessness spend our days helping these neighbors, our clients, through a Housing First approach. We know what works, the data is clear: First people need a home. Then recovery can begin.
Some people move from the streets directly into housing. Some go into shelter along the way. In all cases, stable housing remains the only solution to homelessness. During the height of the pandemic, seven households moved into permanent housing through our rental assistance and support programs. The system, the partners, and the rental assistance dollars are all in place in our community.
But stable housing only happens when people have homes to move into. Danielle was enrolled in one of our housing programs. What was missing for Danielle is the same thing that’s missing so often; an available, affordable housing unit. In the best of circumstances, it’s challenging to find housing in our region. It’s even harder for people experiencing homelessness. Yet it’s essential we make it work. Stable housing is the proven and most cost-effective solution for ending homelessness in our communities.
We have a funded system in place with proven success in helping people find permanent housing. We have a generous and caring community. But we have too many people entering the homelessness system without a way out. We need fewer people going to shelter and onto the streets, and more people exiting homelessness to stable housing. If every sector in our community came together and prioritized housing, we could find appropriate, timely and permanent solutions for everyone who enters homelessness.
That is the Coalition’s vision for ending homelessness in our region. People will still experience homelessness, but it will be rare, brief, and one-time.
Homelessness is a complex problem, but it’s not complicated. Other communities have solved it. With support from all sectors, out community can, too. When people die on the streets, we want to know who is responsible. We look at the individual, their family and friends, their churches, schools and workplaces. We examine the homeless system, the healthcare system, the justice system, the mental health system. We question the role of the City, the Township, the County and the State.
But in the end, no one bears sole responsibility, because we are all part of the solution. Homelessness is likely to grow as pandemic-related unemployment takes its toll across the country. Now more than ever, we must prioritize the problem and build solutions. Housing is the solution. It’s the only cure for homelessness. And it’s everyone’s responsibility.
