A response to the series on Durham's homeless

I am saddened that the three-part series about homelessness in Durham that ran Nov. 18 to Nov. 21. leaned so heavily upon the voices of some of our leadership—but more saddened that some of our leadership do not know more. A couple observations:

Since January 2010 through October 2011, the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program in Durham has assisted 146 households to avoid homelessness through the provision of $297,659.52 in direct support for rent and utilities. In addition, 133 households, representing 308 people—including 159 children—have been assisted to move from homelessness into housing. These individuals and families have been assisted with $461,923.77 in direct support. Of those assisted, 83 percent of the individuals and 93 percent of the families have remained in housing. This is 279 households over the last 22 months assisted to avoid and move out of homelessness. At a time when the forces of foreclosure, unemployment and overall recession have been at their highest, this is no small feat. This does not square with “little hope for those mired in a flawed system.” This work was reflected in the point in time count which showed a 14 percent reduction in the number of homeless families from January 2010 to January 2011 during a most difficult time. This is a result of many nonprofits and public agencies collaborating Urban Ministries of Durham, Genesis Home, Interfaith Hospitality Network, Department of Social Services, City of Durham and Durham Housing Authority, just to name a few. Information about these outcomes was presented at the Point-in-Time Press Conference, and in the collaborative proposal to fund the work in this round of Continuum of Care. It is also reported into the Carolina Homeless Information Network, which is accessed by city staff. The project has had on-site monitoring reviews by the City of Durham, the County of Durham, the State of North Carolina and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

From January 2008 through June 2008, 26 people with mental illness were discharged into homelessness in Durham from what was then John Umstead Hospital. With interventions and other protocol including hospital liaisons, expanded outreach and engagement staff and increased permanent supportive housing options done by The Durham Center, the hospital, Housing for New Hope, Urban Ministries of Durham, the Durham Police and Sheriff’s Department, to name a few of the collaborative partners, the number of discharges into homelessness in Durham from Central Regional from January 2008 through June 2008, was four, an 85 percent reduction! This figure is cited on home page of Durham’s Opening Doors website.

Terry Allebaugh
Executive Director, Housing for New Hope