Mission
To address the housing and support services needs of individuals and families along the continuum of care from homelessness to permanent housing.
Vision
All individuals and families who are homeless or are at risk of homelessness in St. Clair County will have access to safe, decent, affordable housing and the resources and supports necessary to sustain it.
Workgroup Goals
- Provide community education & awareness regarding the issue of homelessness in St. Clair County.
- Work collaboratively to reduce the number of people struggling with homelessness in St. Clair County.
- Re-evaluate and update the St. Clair County Strategic Action Plan to End Homelessness to coordinate with various federal, state, and local requirements.
Identified Gap: Not enough affordable housing for all the families and individuals struggling with homelessness, and the housing options are very limited.
2022 Collaborative Accomplishments
- Annual Point in Time Count was conducted on January 26, 2022. The Shelter Count concluded there were 33 people in local shelters; 15 adults, 18 children. The Unsheltered Count found 114 people who were homeless and not in a shelter; 80 adults and 34 children.
- The Housing Assistance Resource Agency (HARA) spent all available Federal COVID Relief funding:, assisting many residents:
- Emergency Solutions Grant COVID (ESG-CV): $607,905 Assisted 74 households with housing costs.
- COVID Emergency Relief Aid (CERA): $6,399,718 2,098 applications submitted, 1,126 approved for assistance.
- Coronavirus Aid Relief & Economic Security Act (CARES): $72,244 Assisted 13 renters & 24 homeowners.
- Eviction Diversion Funding – $660,062 assisted 218 households.
- The Housing Assistance Resource Agency (HARA) screened125 households; 148 adults and 112 children from 1/3/2022 – 9/30/2022.
- Spent $188,000 on hotel vouchers for people experiencing homelessness from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022, totaling 432 bed nights.
- 2023 Emergency Solutions Grant award from MSHDA totaled $204,027 to be used for HARA costs, emergency shelter, rapid rehousing, and prevention efforts, a decrease of $8,501from last fiscal year.
- The 14th Annual Community Resource Fair was held on July 13, 2022 as a drive-through event at St. Clair County Community College.
- November 15, 2022 the Workgroup held a virtual event entitled “Housing Summit, from Homeless – Housing: Community Driven Solutions”
- The Workgroup reviewed, updated, and endorsed the 2022-2023 Strategic Action Plan to End Homelessness in May.
Chair: Kathleen Swantek, Blue Water Developmental Housing, Inc.
Support Staff: SCC Hara & Vonda Willey, BWDH Interagency Service Team
2023 Meeting Calendar
2023 Housing & Support Services Committee Meeting Dates
Meetings are hybrid and held on the second Wednesday of every other month 1:30 – 3:00 pm.
- January 11, 2023
- March 8, 2023
- May 10, 2023
- July 12, 2023
- September 13, 2023
- November 8, 2023
Resources