Survey aims to expand services for the homeless
NORWICH – The Chenango Housing Council has long recognized the existence of homelessness in the area and is now taking bigger steps than ever to address the issue.
On Feb. 27, the Chenango Housing Council – an agency that addresses substandard housing and homelessness in the area – conducted a county-wide survey of the homeless to identify the number of county residents in need of a place to live, and to improve on local services to help.
The agency invited the homeless to call and share their stories or complete a paper survey that was distributed by participating nonprofit agencies, including the Chenango County Department of Social Services and volunteers for the SUNY Morrisville Human Services Organization.
According to CHC Chair Judy Wingate-Wade, the survey will assist the organization in developing a homeless shelter in Chenango County and more efficient solutions to the issue of homelessness. Surveys are a requirement to receive assistance from federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs.
“We have seen problems in recent weeks with ways to keep people out of the cold,” said Wingate-Wade. “This survey serves as a snapshot of our community so that we can hopefully help with some of these problems.”
While the final tally of surveys issued have yet to be made available, previous surveys conducted by the Chenango Housing Council typically yield more than 70 responses, according to Chenango County Roots and Wings Director Gary Quarella.
“This time, we tried to make people more aware of [the survey],” said Quarella, pointing to surveys made available at local soup kitchens, doctors’ offices and food pantries. Promotional flyers were also hung on community bulletin boards in the county and shared via Facebook.
“We did the best we could to get that information out there,” he added.
The CHC is comprised of partnering Chenango County housing agencies, including the Department of Social Services, the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities, Area Agency on Aging, Chenango County Code Enforcement, Chenango Housing Improvement Program, the United Way, City of Norwich Code Enforcement, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Habitat for Humanity, Norwich Housing Authority, and Opportunities for Chenango.
The CHC recently joined the Southern Tier Continuum of Care, which consists of similar action agencies in Broome, Otsego, Delaware, and Cortland counties. Wingate-Wade said CHC hopes this partnership will make the CHC more viable to receive federal funding in order to help establish a homeless shelter in Chenango County.
Quarella said the CHC was awarded HUD funding through the Continuum of Care in 2013 which provided the Norwich Housing Authority with nearly 20 vouchers in the community to serve the homeless. However, the county has never received HUD funding prior to that, he added.
The CHC is currently working toward brick and mortar funding for a 12-bed homeless shelter through the Homeless Housing and Assistance Program (HHAP), an initiative sought over by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA). According to a proposal from the CHC, the $4.298 million dollar development project would help rural homeless families and individuals get back on their feet and strive for self-sufficiency and housing security through available support programs and case management.
The CHC is currently looking at existing buildings in the Norwich area that can be rehabilitated to suit requirements of a shelter.
On Feb. 27, the Chenango Housing Council – an agency that addresses substandard housing and homelessness in the area – conducted a county-wide survey of the homeless to identify the number of county residents in need of a place to live, and to improve on local services to help.
The agency invited the homeless to call and share their stories or complete a paper survey that was distributed by participating nonprofit agencies, including the Chenango County Department of Social Services and volunteers for the SUNY Morrisville Human Services Organization.
According to CHC Chair Judy Wingate-Wade, the survey will assist the organization in developing a homeless shelter in Chenango County and more efficient solutions to the issue of homelessness. Surveys are a requirement to receive assistance from federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs.
“We have seen problems in recent weeks with ways to keep people out of the cold,” said Wingate-Wade. “This survey serves as a snapshot of our community so that we can hopefully help with some of these problems.”
While the final tally of surveys issued have yet to be made available, previous surveys conducted by the Chenango Housing Council typically yield more than 70 responses, according to Chenango County Roots and Wings Director Gary Quarella.
“This time, we tried to make people more aware of [the survey],” said Quarella, pointing to surveys made available at local soup kitchens, doctors’ offices and food pantries. Promotional flyers were also hung on community bulletin boards in the county and shared via Facebook.
“We did the best we could to get that information out there,” he added.
The CHC is comprised of partnering Chenango County housing agencies, including the Department of Social Services, the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities, Area Agency on Aging, Chenango County Code Enforcement, Chenango Housing Improvement Program, the United Way, City of Norwich Code Enforcement, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Habitat for Humanity, Norwich Housing Authority, and Opportunities for Chenango.
The CHC recently joined the Southern Tier Continuum of Care, which consists of similar action agencies in Broome, Otsego, Delaware, and Cortland counties. Wingate-Wade said CHC hopes this partnership will make the CHC more viable to receive federal funding in order to help establish a homeless shelter in Chenango County.
Quarella said the CHC was awarded HUD funding through the Continuum of Care in 2013 which provided the Norwich Housing Authority with nearly 20 vouchers in the community to serve the homeless. However, the county has never received HUD funding prior to that, he added.
The CHC is currently working toward brick and mortar funding for a 12-bed homeless shelter through the Homeless Housing and Assistance Program (HHAP), an initiative sought over by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA). According to a proposal from the CHC, the $4.298 million dollar development project would help rural homeless families and individuals get back on their feet and strive for self-sufficiency and housing security through available support programs and case management.
The CHC is currently looking at existing buildings in the Norwich area that can be rehabilitated to suit requirements of a shelter.
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