Published on Saturday, Dec 08, 2007
Representatives of about 50 agencies met in Akron Friday to discuss what nearly every group is witnessing: A sharp increase in the number of people seeking shelter.
The Battered Women's Shelter, which has a capacity for 66, reported a significant recent increase and currently is housing at least 90.
Access Inc., a homeless shelter for women and children, reports a 450 percent increase in requests for shelter since July.
The Interfaith Hospitality Network is housing 32 percent more people than last year at this time.
The Haven of Rest is operating above its capacity with nearly 220 men and women per day.
The Haven of Rest is operating above its capacity with nearly 220 men and women per day.
''It's a different problem we have today, especially with the foreclosures,'' said Jerry Egan, manager of the comprehensive planning division for the city of Akron.
The seed for the meeting was planted in mid-November when it became evident to Debra Manteghi that there was a sudden and desperate increase indemand for housing for low-income families.
''I got five phone calls and numerous e-mails in just one day — that's unprecedented,'' said Manteghi, district homeless education liaison for the Akron Public Schools. ''Usually, I can get people who need help into shelters, but all the shelters were full at that time.
''I felt terrible. I had people crying about their situation. I talked to desperate fathers. People — entire families — were living in cars and we had no place to send them because the shelters already had unusually high waiting lists.''
Inspired dialogue
That situation inspired Manteghi to initiate dialogue with other community agencies. The result was Friday's 90-minute meeting, the first of what is expected to be a series.
Several problems cited by participants as causing the sharp increase were:
Home foreclosures.
Closing of subsidized public housing projects.
Decrease in subsidies to landlords who provide housing for low-income families — a program known as Section 8.
Lack of adequately paying jobs.
Home foreclosures.
Closing of subsidized public housing projects.
Decrease in subsidies to landlords who provide housing for low-income families — a program known as Section 8.
Lack of adequately paying jobs.
''It's a 20-foot hole and we've been given a 10-foot ladder,'' said Sylvia Hines of Access.
Reopening shelter?
Pat McGrath, executive director for Catholic Social Services of Summit County, and Egan from the city explained that reopening a temporary shelter in the Ocasek Government Office Building parking area isn't practical today.
''After 9/11, we simply couldn't do that again,'' McGrath said.
Sleeping in garage
That effort ran from Nov. 1 through March 31 for four years. The Salvation Army donated 120 cots and mattresses for people sleeping in the parking garage of the state office building. The cots were torn down by 6 a.m. each day and then put up again after 6 p.m.
The Salvation Army provided one hot meal per day. The program reached its highest total — 130 — in the first year.
''We knew it was going to end because of the construction of the new Haven of Rest,'' McGrath said. ''The economy also picked up at that point in the mid-1990s in the Akron area.''
The problem, although it didn't go away, appeared to have at least leveled out.
Until this fall.
Looking for solutions
Several suggestions for possible avenues to a solution were forwarded by agency leaders in the last 10 minutes of the meeting.
That gave Lois Foster of the United Way hope that a definitive plan of attack is possible.
''There were a lot of good suggestions,'' Foster said. ''What we need to do now is pare the suggestions down to what is viable and get back together soon.''
Foster said the United Way's Basic Needs Council will set up the next meeting. It is expected to be within 30 days. Additional leaders from social service agencies are expected to be invited.
Foster said the United Way's Basic Needs Council will set up the next meeting. It is expected to be within 30 days. Additional leaders from social service agencies are expected to be invited.
''If we wait longer than that,'' Foster said, ''this whole thing could be doomed. And we can't afford to lose in this battle.''
That gave hope to Sue Pierson, too.
She is vice president of InfoLine — which played host to Friday's meeting — and also is chair of the Continuum of Care for the Homeless.Akron 'pulls together'
''I was incredibly pleased with the turnout,'' Pierson said. ''What it says is that Akron, as usual, pulls together when we have a problem.
''That's one of the incredible things about this community. And it makes me feel great to be a part of this and gives me hope that we can help more people in more ways.''
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